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For the Good of the Herd

© 2015 Benjamin J Johnson, Twisted_Trisk

Pronunciation guide:

Crissa - Cree sah

Drisden - Dry's den

Crissa liked her new home. Her herd had been wandering for years, trying to find a place in the wilds of Africa to call their own. Life was hard for the furkind Impalas. Predators both sentient and feral were a constant threat, and they'd been having the worst possible misfortunes imaginable for what seemed like her whole young life. She was only recently an adult, her body developing and gaining feminine curves. She no longer trundled about on her hooves like a calf, but moved with grace and dignity befitting the chief's daughter.

She wore simple woven cloth clothes, and had feathers and beads woven into her long brown hair, her beautiful, shiny fur coat exhibiting the elegant lines typical of an Impala, rusty red fur on her back, with pale brown fur on her belly, arms and legs. On her rump were several streaks of black fur, the most notable coloring on her species, forming an "M" on her round, sexy little ass.

Her developing breasts were small, round and lovely, and her status as the chief's daughter meant she was adorned with lots of jewelry, made of bone, bead, precious stones and rare metals. She had armlets and bracelets, several necklaces, several gold anklets, and rings and piercings of gold and silver. It complemented her good looks, and made every male in their dwindling tribe crazy with desire for her.

Though it would have seemed to an outsider that she had a perfect life, nothing could be farther from the truth. Her father was harsh and cold, and was growing increasingly angry with her reluctance to take any of the males he'd brought in as her husband. She didn't like the fickle, arrogant males, and knew that though they professed deep and abiding love for her, all they wanted was her body in bed, and the title of chief that would be theirs someday, having married the chief's only child.

Bad decisions seemed to follow her father everywhere. Deep down, she thought he was the worst chief the tribe had ever had; he tried to settle them in a flood plain despite warnings, and torrential rains had washed the village away and killed a third of the people. Reeling from that tragedy, he'd settled them in a canyon with evidence of large herds passing through despite warnings. In the night, strange, unidentified creatures had stampeded through, destroying half the village and killing great numbers of Impalas with their massive hooves. Her father was stubborn, sure he was always right, and these tragedies were always someone else's fault.

So for the last year they'd been wandering, trying to find somewhere safe and nice to live. The problem was, now her father was paranoid, and refused to settle in several wonderful areas that all the people begged him to put down roots in. Many had given up hope of ever having a home, until they at last found this place, nestled in a big valley between mountains.

After all the roaming, this utopia was like magic for her tribe. An overabundance of lush, green grass, clean, pure water from several springs and rivers nearby, clumps of trees here and there for tasty treats and shade on a hot day, a large forest only a mile away where they could harvest lumber and herbs, and best of all, there didn't seem to be any predators, feral or otherwise, around. It was a goddess-send for the dwindling tribe, who's numbers couldn't go any lower and remain a tribe any longer.

As soon as their temporary homes, mostly quickly built grass huts, were set up and plans to build permanent huts were in the works, Crissa had slipped away to explore their new lands, desperate to get away from her father's constant impatient orders. Increasingly unhappy at home, she was more and more taken with roaming on her own in the wilds surrounding the tribe. Her father was furious at her every time she did it, yelling that it was dangerous and she would have no protection from a predator attack, but she paid him no heed. She was the fastest runner in the whole tribe, and there was not a lion or hyena that could outrun her anywhere in the world, she was confident.

Out here, alone, she could try and forget her unhappy home, the deplorable duty of taking a mate who would become chief, a male who didn't love her in the slightest, and pretend that she was as happy and free as a predator. After taking a long drink at one of the springs, she looked around and saw a large stand of rocks rising up over the planes. Curious to climb them and see what the land would look like from high up, she headed towards them, pretending she was an explorer on a mission to save her people.

As she walked along, she began to again reflect on her dire situation. Lungao was the latest one her father had chosen, a male whom she thoroughly detested. To him, a female was for pleasure, for house care, and for rearing his children. He was a complete chauvinist and treated her like she was stupid, as if she couldn't possibly understand man things. She hated him, but on her seventeenth birthday, if she had not found herself a mate, her father would, by the laws of the tribe, have the right to arrange her marriage.

An outsider would reckon she could just chose a better mate and take him, but she knew every male of mating age in the whole tribe, and she disliked all of them, for none of them loved her like an equal, but thought of her as a prize to be won, to make everyone else jealous as they took control of the tribe from the sonless chief.

The situation was impossible, and there seemed to her to be no possible way of a happy ending to the problem. Her good mood at escaping to explore was evaporating as she thought of these things. She wiped tears from her large, lovely brown eyes as they threatened to drip down her beautiful face, and tried to think of something else.

When she was still a young girl, her mother had been killed by lions. Bit by bit, no matter how well they trained the tribal warriors, predators had been catching and killing her people, thinning the herd until there were hardly a hundred of them left. She'd thought about running away and joining another tribe, but the chances of that working out didn't seem too good either. To them, she would likely have no value but as a beautiful sex object, and would have no dignity or standing in a different tribe. In fact, it was likely they'd make her a prostitute. No, she had to face her destiny with her own tribe, miserable though it was.

If it weren't for the other young women of the tribe, she'd have given up all hope. She had many friends among them, though, and many who empathized with her situation, and felt pity for her because of her father. None of them were adventuresome like her though, they all refused to go exploring with her, afraid of being killed and eaten.

Eating... she was hungry, she realized. She'd meant to eat as she explored. Pulling her knife from her thigh scabbard, she knelt at a lush looking tuft of grass and cut it, holding the bundle together and munching on it as she walked. The grass was sweet and juicy, and it cheered her up somewhat.

By the time she'd finished eating, she'd reached the large pile of rocks, and her worries were momentarily forgotten as she relished climbing her way up the pile, towards the highest point, where she could look out over the plains. She was sure-footed and agile, her dainty hooves making click-clack sounds on the bare rock as she bounded gracefully from perch to perch until she stood, perhaps a hundred feet up, at the top of the pile.

There was a lovely breeze up here, and she slowly turned in several circles, her large, lovely eyes taking in every detail of the world laid out before her. Often, her dire circumstances would cause her to retreat into a rather childish world of imagination, but it was the only way she could escape her situation and pretend to be someone else. Indeed, pretending now, she held a delicate hand to her breast and said "I claim this land as the lands of Crissa's tribe. This tribe shall not objectify its females, and they can be chiefs and warriors just like the males. There shall be no arranged marriages, but unions for love and love alone. We will be the largest and most powerful tribe in all the land, and many will come begging to join our ranks."

She paraded about for a while, pretending she was addressing a crowd of adoring subjects, telling them the laws of their tribe and helping to solve disputes between them with fairness and justice, unlike her father. Despite the breeze up so high in the air, the sun was beating down on her rather relentlessly, and soon she decided it was time to rest in some shade. On her way up she'd passed a small plateau that was covered with grass and had a pretty shade tree growing out of it, and she made her way there now.

Still happily pretending she was a chief and completely lost in the fantasy, she sat down in the shade and relaxed in the beautiful little spot. "This shall be the chief's throne." she declared. "From here I shall help you all with your problems. Unlike my father, I love children and will happily bless the new little ones for their parents, and they shall love playing with me, and hearing me tell tales of how I built this great tribe, this nation, they shall sit in wonder and awe of my kindness and love."

She yawned. Her tummy was full and the exercise of climbing up had worn her out. Her perfect, secluded little spot was ideal for sleeping, the grass was soft and comfortable... without really intending to, still daydreaming of her new tribe, she fell asleep.

* * *

Crissa awoke with a start, unsure what had jolted her awake. She sat up and looked around, trying to figure out why she felt as if something was very, very wrong. The sun was setting, casting long shadows on the rocks, dark places where anything could be hiding from her. Her heart was pounding. Why had she slept so long? Why had she fallen asleep at all? She looked this way and that, desperate to discover the source of her unease.

Suddenly, a soft, deep, male voice spoke, a voice that had the growling inflections of a predator. "Well well, awake at last, are you? After all your grand speeches of fairness and love for your tribe, you fall asleep when you should be leading them? For shame. And doubly for shame to do it on my roof."

Whoever it was had heard her and was mocking her make-believe. The voice bounced about on the rocks and she still could not tell its direction, though she was now standing and twirling this way and that, looking with terror for the predator. Again the voice spoke. "Now, don't bother trying to run, I've got you in one pounce if you do, and I'd rather like to get to know the benevolent chief of Crissa's tribe."

Eyes wide with fear, cheeks burning with shame as her dreams were mocked, she squeaked "I was only pretending... I didn't mean any harm... I didn't know this was your home. I'll leave and never come back, I swear!"

"Don't run, little one. Just relax and don't. Run. Don't do it."

She wrung her hands. "Please, no! Don't eat me! I'm sorry I intruded!" it dawned on her this was not going to do any good. Whoever, or whatever this predator was, they were going to attempt to kill and eat her. She had to call the bluff and hope she could get away. As abruptly as the thought had surfaced in her mind, she leapt from the plateau, bounding down the rocks, leaping from boulder to boulder, fear making her reckless as she ran.

At any moment she expected to feel the bite of claws, but nothing happened. She took a last leap and was off the rock pile, hope soaring within her that she'd escaped the predator. Now that she was off the rocks, she could pick up speed and outrun whatever he was.

The sun was behind her, casting her shadow out a long ways in front of her, so as she ran, she saw the black shadow loom up behind her. Her heart caught in her throat as she realized it was the outline of a big male lion, flying straight towards... BAM! Something heavy crashed into her back, and she was sent sprawling on the ground, the immovable weight of a powerful predator on her back. Large hands with even larger claws flipped her over on her back as if she weighed little more than a pebble, and she stared into the golden eyes of a massive, muscular, powerful, beautiful male lion.

His brown mane was long and thick and beautiful, and he had it pulled back in a ponytail. His body was as stout and muscular as hers was slender and sleek. He had her pinned with his hands, on her wrists, sitting on her legs to trap her. He wore a simple loincloth made of skins, and his magnificent body was adorned with several scars, including one which ran from just above his left eye, all the way down to his knee. He was at once beautiful and terrible beyond measure. She'd never been this close to a predator in her life, and it was incredible.

She realized now at the end of her life how right her father had been to warn her of the danger of wandering alone. She could run fast, yes... but a predator had outwitted her, and she'd never even gotten a chance to pick up speed before being caught. She closed her eyes and waited for the bite of death.

"I told you not to run." the lion gently rumbled. "I hope I didn't hurt you with that pounce, did I?" When there was no response other than whimpering from the captured Impala, he added "Be calm little one. I'm not going to hurt you. I told you not to run, didn't I? I knew how badly it would scare you if I had to catch you. Please relax, I won't harm you. I only want to meet you and talk to you."

These words had little effect on her, and she kept her eyes squeezed shut, whimpering and sobbing in blind, unthinking terror. The big, strong paws holding her wrists suddenly let up, freeing her hands and arms. She felt fingers gently stroking her cheek, caressing her with soft, tender care. "Easy, little lady. I swear I'm not going to hurt you. I don't eat sentient beings, alright? My goddess. I couldn't see you before... you are beautiful! I've never seen a more lovely female than you. My name is Drisden. Could I have the honor of knowing your name?"

Slowly, she cracked her eyes open and looked up at the lion. He was smiling at her kindly, and though he was still sitting on her legs to trap her, he was making no attempt to pin her arms, gently caressing her cheek. Confused, she automatically replied "I'm Crissa."

He chuckled. "I thought that might be it, from your speech, but I wasn't sure. I'm am glad to meet you, Crissa, chief of Crissa's tribe."

She stared at him, but there was absolutely no violence anywhere visible on his face or body. Still, though her fear was fading, his words stung her and filled her with shame. "Please don't mock me. I was only pretending. I'm not a chief, I'm... I'm nobody."

He bowed his majestic, head. "Forgive me. I didn't know that. I thought perhaps you were practicing a speech you were going to give to your people. I did not mean to mock you, dear little lady. Please don't be frightened of me, Crissa, I want to be your friend. Would you honor me by coming with me to my den? You look hot and parched, and I have some water we could drink, and the cave is wonderfully cool and relaxing after the heat out here." He stood up off of her, offering her his hand to help her up.

She contemplated jumping up and running, but knew the big predator would simply catch her again; he was much too close for her to escape. She didn't really believe his words of kindness and friendship; she knew cats played with their food, and when he grew tired of this game, she was still going to die... but if she played along, maybe there would be a chance that he would let his guard down long enough for her to run and get going fast enough that he couldn't catch her.

Reluctantly, she reached her slender, delicate hand up to his big, strong one. He gently took a hold of her and lifted her to her hooves as if she weighted no more than a tuft of grass. Gently, he brushed her off. "I'm sorry I ruffled your fur pouncing on you. I really wanted to meet you, and it was my only chance to catch you and try and convince you I'm friendly." He lifted her hand to his lips and gently, gallantly kissed her fingers.

Still holding her hand, he beamed at her, his smile revealing his sharp, terrifying predator teeth. "Come, pretty girl! Let's cool off and get something to drink!" Still holding her hand, he led her around the pile of rocks to the back side, the side she hadn't checked. Sure enough, there was a small cave there, perhaps twenty or thirty feet deep. Her heart sank. How could she have been so careless as to not check all around the base of the rock pile first!? What a fool she'd been.

Drisden continued to chat away, and he almost seemed to exhibit a youthful exuberance and flirtatiousness as he talked, holding her little hand in both of his and drinking her in as they walked. "I've lived out here alone for so long, it's absolutely wonderful to have someone to talk to! I saw a herd of Impalas moving west of my home, is that where you're from? Are your people coming to live here?"

His words brought her a new sense of purpose; to escape so she could warn her people that a dangerous predator was living mere feet away from their new village. Somehow she had to survive this and live to tell about it or he would kill many! Without really thinking about her words, she hesitantly replied "Well... we were thinking about it. We're trying to find somewhere that is safe... away from those who would kill us..."

He patted her hand gently. "Well, you certainly have nothing to fear from me, but I'm afraid that this place is far from safe; there is a large group of feral hyenas who travel through this area from time to time. They are crafty and organized, and I fear what they might do if they find your village." The lion looked sad as he said this.

"We... we have warriors... we can fight..." she mumbled, trying to sound confident. She didn't fear hyenas in the slightest when a lion was holding her prisoner.

He sighed. "Perhaps it will be enough. Have a seat. I crafted this furniture myself out of some straight saplings that grow in the forest. They came out rather good, considering I'd never built a chair or table or bed before." He plopped down in a chair at his table, still protectively holding her hand. Gingerly she reached for another chair, intending to sit. The lion jumped up. "Forgive my manners! What are you thinking, Drisden! Let me help you, Crissa." He pulled the chair out and helped her into it, then sat down across from her, in-between her and the cave mouth.

She stared at him in silence for a while, her curiosity growing in spite of her fear of impending death. She'd always wondered so many things about predators... Unable to contain herself she suddenly blurted out "I wish I was a predator! I wish I didn't have to fear anything, and could go anywhere I please and do anything I desire! I hate being afraid! I don't want to die any more than you do, but everything around us wants to kill and eat us!"

The lion looked a little stunned by her sudden outburst, and she felt panic well up, terrified that he would be angry or insulted by her words. After thinking for a moment, though, his voice was just as gentle and kind as ever. "Perhaps to an herbivore it would seem so, but believe me, there are things about being a predator that are just as hard to live with."

The fact that he, a powerful, invincible lion with nothing to fear from any creature, would act as if his lot in life was not the best there could be, made her angry enough to forget her terror for a moment. "Nothing bothers lions! You don't have anything to fear!" she snapped.

He shook his head. "It isn't that simple. Yes, I may not have to keep alert looking for predators, but I also must rely on my wits and skills to find food. While you can have a feast anywhere greenery grows, I must seek out feral animals for my dinner. If I make a mistake in the hunt, or perhaps just have poor luck finding anything, I go to bed hungry, something you've probably never experienced."

He paused, but when she didn't say anything, he continued. "And life is not so easy as you say. How do you think I got this scar?" He motioned to the scar that ran from his forehead, down his eye, so close it was a wonder he wasn't blinded, then ran down his face, his chest, his leg all the way to the knee. "I was attacked by a starving feral lion when I was feasting on the first food I'd had in a week. I needed to eat, and therefore had to defend my portion. I was split open like burst cherry, down to the bone in several places, before I at last drove it off, mortally wounded. I nearly died from infection, nearly starved while I was healing and could not hunt, and nearly starved for water when I couldn't walk or bend over to drink. But for my sister finding me and helping me through, I would not be here. Being a predator is dangerous."

Crissa sat stunned. "I... I hadn't thought about how you got the scar. I hadn't thought that life could possibly be hard for a predator."

He sighed, running a finger down the scar sadly. "I was once very handsome. I am ashamed of it."

The Impala found herself speaking almost without thinking, and meaning every word she said. "I think you still are handsome. I think the scar is sexy! It hasn't marred your beauty at all, it has deepened it."

Clearly Drisden was pleasantly surprised to hear her say that. He grinned at her, his bright, friendly smile warming her. "Thank you for the complement! I am glad to hear a woman say so. And for what it's worth, I think you are beautiful too."

She smiled shyly at him, feeling flirtatious for a moment, having the attention of such a magnificent male. Then she remembered her situation and the familiar terror returned. Fool! She thought to herself. Focus on looking for an opening to flee! You must, or you will die!

The lion was speaking again. "Your jewelry is lovely. Whoever crafted it is skilled indeed. The red stones are perfect against your beautiful fur coat."

"Uh... uh... oh! Oh thank you. They were my mother's."

"She gave them to you?"

The lithe, lovely female's face fell. "No, they were passed on to me when she died."

His voice was incredibly gentle, and he tenderly took her hand in his. "I'm so sorry..." he murmured.

"She was killed by a predator. A Feral. She was pregnant with my brother at the time, and both of them died."

To her surprise, Drisden stood up and swooped her up off her chair, hugging her tightly. "I'm so, so sorry."

His soft, lovely-smelling golden fur felt marvelous against her much coarser fur, and she indulged in stroking it a little. "Predators are so cruel." She whispered.

"Not all of us, Crissa. I would never hurt a sentient. You don't think I'm cruel, do you?"

As a matter of fact, she thought he was the most cruel predator she'd ever met, because he was toying with her like this before killing and eating her; claiming to be friendly when in fact he was just going to dine on her. Rather than speak an answer that might anger him, she instead changed the subject. "Your necklace is very nice."

He looked down at it, a simple leather cord, with claws from various animals he'd fought and killed strung upon it, interspersed with precious stones. No prey animal would ever have such a thing, and it was actually thrilling to look at and know his power and strength had won him every one of those trophies. Raising it up so she could see the jewels interwoven between each claw, he replied "Thank you. I have had to fight for each of them. They are a reminder to me... of how precious life is. Would you like to have it?"

Shocked at the offer, she couldn't help but giggle. "Imagine me, a little Impala, wearing such a vicious, glorious necklace! I would be the envy of everyone! They'd be in awe just to see me wearing such a symbol of carnivore power and dominance. I'd feel invincible."

He smiled at her delight in the thought. "Well, then I actually have a second one I shall give to you. I think it would look lovely around your beautiful neck. Just a moment, let me get it and I'll help you put it on and tell you what each claw comes from and what it represents to me."

To her delight, he stood up and came around the table, walking to the back of the cave, patting her shoulder as he passed. He knelt and lifted the cover off a large clay pot and began to rummage through the contents. This was it! He'd let his guard down! As he rummaged through, he spoke to her over his shoulder. "I wouldn't give this to just anyone, and I hope you will honor the gift, because it means very much to me, and I actually made it hoping to someday give it to the girl I would..." The sound of running hooves made him stand and turn, the gift necklace clutched in his paw.

Crissa exploded out of her chair and bounded for the entrance of the cave, her powerful legs enabling her to run far faster than a lion could go. Freedom! She was actually going to cheat death! He'd never catch her now!

As she flew through the cave mouth, she turned her limber head and looked behind her. The lion was standing there, drooping, the necklace clutched in his paw, a look of crushing sorrow and disillusionment on his handsome face. He said nothing, didn't snarl or curse her or try in vain to chase her down, he just stood there, looking sad. That image burned itself into her memory, though she caught nothing more than a glimpse of it.

With one more step she was out of the cave and into the fading twilight. She reached top speed and ran all the way home to the village, elated to have escaped. Freedom never tasted so sweet! She was so elated, she barely even noticed her father shouting at her for sneaking off. When she admitted to having a close run-in with a lion, he was even more infuriated and slapped her across the face several times, very hard as he berated her.

As she lay in her blankets, nursing a sore cheek, she at last began to think about what had happened, analyzing the whole encounter. Long into the night she thought about everything that had been said, every gesture, every touch the big lion had done.

* * *

Crissa was always somewhat quiet, though she certainly could laugh and talk with her friends like anyone. Today, however, she was very quiet, lost in thought. Word had gone through the tribe of her run in with a lion, and eager gossip mongers were practically begging her for the story. The thing was, she didn't quite know what to make of it all herself, and certainly didn't know what to tell anyone else. She'd let her father believe it had been a feral, but had not revealed any location. You could never truly get away from predators no matter where you went, so it was accepted that a lion lived somewhere in the area and everyone would have to be cautious. It was that way with herbivores, at least according to her father.

But what of the lion? Drisden? He'd been so soft, so kind, his deep voice was gentle and soothing as he spoke. Goddess... she'd never been that close to a lion before, he'd been about the most beautiful, muscled, sculpted male she'd ever laid eyes on. She hadn't realized males could be that sexy. Her heart fluttered in her chest whenever she thought of him.

He'd spoken of friendship, and of loneliness. It was true he'd had no pride... why was he all alone? It made her curious, especially since she'd been surrounded by her tribe since the day she was born.

What if... what if he'd truly been friendly, if he honestly had no interest in eating her? What if that god of a male had meant what he said about her beauty? What if he wanted to be friends... or maybe even more than friends? It all seemed so impossible, and yet, there he'd stood, necklace clutched in his paw, watching her run away with heartbreak in his eyes. He'd made no attempt to chase her down and catch her, he'd not cursed her or shouted or roared in anger that she'd gotten away. More telling, he'd let his guard down. Felines didn't do that. He'd never have let her get away if he'd been toying with her and intending to eat her. He'd trusted her.

His eyes... so full of warmth, and so full of sorrow when she'd run. His palpable sadness gnawed at her, made her feel guilty for running. He'd only wanted a friend...

Then she shook her head. What was she thinking? It was so improbable it was impossible that a magnificent male lion would hold any attraction and desire for an Impalla as a mate, let alone treat one as an equal and friend. It was so obvious he'd been toying with her... and yet...

Gretta gently punched her shoulder, waking her from her thoughts. "Come down from the moon, Crissa!" she chortled.

Blinking, the daydreaming princess replied "I'm sorry, what?"

"We were trying to get you to tell us what happened with the lion, of course. And what grave matters are you mulling over that you don't even hear your friends calling your name?"

"I... I'm thinking about what happened. I'm trying to make sense of it, of everything that happened with him. He... I don't know how to feel, or what to say about the whole thing. I really don't have a clue about it all. That's why I don't want to say anything, because I truly don't know what to say."

Gretta looked at the other girls gathered around. They were lounging in some shade, munching on bundles of grass they'd gathered, enjoying a rather unusual cool, delightful day. "Can you believe her? I swear she's trying to kill us all with curiosity!" She returned her attention to her younger friend. "Honestly, Crissa, there must be something you can say about it other than 'I was chased by a lion.'"

The Impalla shrugged. "That's about the only thing that happened that I'm sure about. It was like a dream. A crazy, wild dream." She hesitated, tempted to tell them of how gentle he'd been, how sweet and gentlemanly, but deep down she wanted to keep Drisden to herself. What if she told them what had happened and one of them ran off and won his heart? The very thought made her jealous, and she decided to say nothing.

Snapping again out of her thoughts, she saw five faces staring at her expectantly, hoping she'd say more. She sighed. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to make it this huge mystery. He... it caught me, and was toying with me, but in a moment of distraction I broke free and ran. That's really all there is to the story. I had to keep calm and not give in to fear, and look for an opening when it wasn't paying attention, and I ran."

After all her daydreaming and distraction, her strange cryptic words about what had happened, she could tell none of them bought it. They sat back looking disappointed. Gretta was not about to let her off that easily. "Oh come one, Cree! SOMETHING happened that has you turned backwards and upside down! We're your friends, why can't you just tell us?"

Stubbornly deciding she'd reveal nothing more, the chief's daughter set her jaw. "Nothing else happened. Look, you try getting caught by a lion for over twenty minutes, make a narrow escape when you were sure you were going to die, and see if you don't find yourself re-evaluating your whole life and reflecting on everything that happened."

Her older friend looked genuinely disappointed. "Really? That's all it is?"

With a sigh, she replied "More or less. Yes. Let's just talk about something else. Amilee, you were going to show us that new stitch you'd figured out, can we see it now?"

Reluctantly, the others gave up, and her prodding got them going on another topic. She joined in enough that they wouldn't bother her, and spent the rest of the time reflecting, looking out across the plains. Looking into the eyes of the lion. Wait what? ...she blinked. There was nothing there. She sat up and craned her neck, trying to see what she'd caught a flash of through the grass, but there was nothing. Had she imagined it? Was she dreaming about him even when awake now? Those big, pretty golden eyes... goddess... she had to get a grip! Still keeping an eye on the grass where she thought she'd seen him she returned to the mundane world of her life.

* * *

Drisden was in a foul mood. He wasn't angry with the sexy little Impala, of course not. How could he blame her for being afraid? No, he was in a foul mood because he felt that if he'd only said something else, something better, he'd have been able to convince her he was not going to harm her.

He'd never seen anything so sexy in his life. He'd instantly had what many would call a perverse attraction for this female of another species... the thought of crawling between the legs of a prey species woman and making love to her with all his heart was the most erotic thing in the world to him after seeing her. Honestly, after hearing that sweet little Impala's voice, he had no interest in lionesses. They were beautiful, sexy, strong, wonderful females, but he simply couldn't see mating with one. He wanted to defy the natural order of things and have relations with an herbivore.

It was such a crazy feeling to have, and yet he had it. He was in love with her, he just knew it. Perhaps if he'd kissed her like he'd wanted to... or if he'd given her a knife and pressed it to his throat, putting himself in her power... there had to have been something he could have done to gain her trust, why had he let her go?

He sighed. He'd let her go because recapturing her would only reinforce her fear as legitimate. He had to keep reminding himself that it was not all over, he still was going to try and win her trust, and her heart. To that end, he followed her trail, and using all the tricks in a predator's arsenal, he began to watch her little tribe.

There were so few of them, he hardly would have called them a tribe. He smiled when he saw their warriors with their little spears. Try though they might, they were soft, gentle, weak creatures. Though he'd never eat a sentient, he'd never had the time of day for an herbivore before, but something inside him had changed as he sat there and watched Crissa sleep under his shade tree. He suddenly saw the beauty and wonder of her, and by extension her whole species.

Now as he watched them, he suddenly felt an affection for them. He felt protective of this little group, working to build a village. He watched the adorable children scampering about and playing, the men and women working together to build their future. His sharp eyes saw each one, recognizing each individual. He was close enough his sharp ears could occasionally hear names, which he put to the faces he was seeing. Soon he knew many of the tribe by name. But where was Crissa?

At last he saw her emerge from the big hut in the middle of the village. It was the only one that was completed, meaning they'd all worked together to finish it first. That meant she had some station amidst their people- perhaps she was chief after all? He watched her stretch and look around, helping here and there with the building until a big, grumpy looking old male yelled to her. He saw her droop, and she reluctantly shuffled over to the male. What happened next made his blood boil, and it was all he could do to remain low in the grass and not interfere.

The male spoke angrily with her about something. Their voices raised somewhat and he heard everything. "Daddy, I told you what I think of him already!"

The male bleated in anger and slapped her. "Stupid girl! You will not be rejecting for much longer, do you hear me? Soon I will make the choice of your mate! And you are to call me chief, not 'daddy!' How many times must I tell you that?"

She held her face where he'd hit her, large, beautiful eyes wide and tearful. Drisden wanted to fling himself on the little, pompous, self-important male and tear him limb from limb for striking his love, and only a supreme act of will kept him hidden in the tall grasses. Charging into their home and attacking would assure he'd lose her forever.

She turned and ran with a sob, holding her cheek. He saw multiple Impalas young and old looking at her with pity and at the chief with disgust. In his mind, he marked out those and placed them on a higher level than the others that ignored it. Forcing himself to calm down, he began to edge his way closer to the village, watching the ebb and flow of movement of the busy people, waiting until the sun was high and they took a break from their work to eat. Aware of the location of each, he performed the mission he'd planned, and was back out of the village without a single one of them seeing him.

Satisfied his skills were still flawless, he worked his way in the direction Crissa and several females had gone. He found them munching on grass and talking beneath a beautiful old shade tree. He got close enough so that he could hear, and then just listened in, waiting eagerly to hear his love's sweet, tender voice. He listened to them pester her about her run-in with him, dreamily enjoying the sound of her voice. The fact that she didn't speak ill of him filled him with hope.

Emboldened, when she looked out across the plains, he raised up in the grasses just enough so that she could see him. She looked right at him, seeming to be lost in thought and not even registering what she was seeing. One of the other females half turned, and he dropped low again just as Crissa blinked, did a double take, and started staring at where he'd shown himself.

* * *

Crissa didn't take her eyes off that spot, didn't even dare blink. She was filled with fear, but also with eagerness, and this was a difficult combination to contain within. Eventually, Amilee noticed. "What... what are you looking for, Crissa? Did you see something?" The other four women started looking too, noses twitching, ears pricked forward.

In a small, nervous voice, Crissa muttered "I thought I saw... I... I might have imagined it, it just... I thought I saw a predator."

They all looked in silence for several minutes, food and knitting forgotten. At last, Amilee said "We're kind of a long way from the village. Let's go back. I've had enough to eat anyway..."

They all readily agreed, stood up, and hurried back towards the village. Crissa trailed, still watching the grass, but she saw nothing and at last gave up, hurrying after her friends.

Back in the village, they all relaxed and went their separate ways. Crissa put a hand on Amilee's shoulder. "Let me go get my needles and perhaps we could do it together? I was having trouble following and... I'm afraid I'm just not as good at it as you girls are."

Her friend from childhood smiled. "Sure, Cree. I'll grab my stuff too. Meet back at the foundation of my hut?"

"K!" Crissa chirped.

She trotted with her dainty, graceful step, and slipped into her family's empty hut. She went over to her corner and knelt, reaching for her knitting things, and then froze. There on her pillow... was the incredible necklace of claws that Drisden had offered to give her. The light sparkled off the rubies which were interspersed between the polished claws, the intricate carving on each filled with sparkling gold... it was not only an exquisite gift, beautiful, and impressive, it was...

She froze mid-thought. He'd been here. He could still BE here. She whirled, thoughts of the necklace momentarily forgotten. She was alone in the hut. Trembling, she eased her way back out and timidly edged around the outside of the hut. There was nothing. He'd been here, delivered his gift, and gone, all without hurting anyone. Her trust in him grew by a fair amount, her fear lessening.

Returning to her blankets, she lay down and picked up the necklace, admiring it. Nobody in the tribe had such a thing! It was so fearsome and so much the jewelry of a powerful predator! To wear it would be frightening, but also so exciting! Everyone would see it, everyone would not be able to take their eyes off it, and they would be desperate to know how she'd gotten it. She'd have the respect and envy of everyone.

Elated, she carefully put it on, then picked up a bowl of water and admired herself in the reflection. It looked fantastic riding between her breasts! She proudly thought it doubled her beauty. Softly, she whispered "Drisden... you're so wonderful... if only you were telling the truth... I could love a man like you."

She wanted to see herself better, so she jumped up and started for the river before remembering Amilee was waiting for her. Reluctantly, she grabbed her knitting things and pressed the necklace below the neckline of her halter top. It would have to wait.

* * *

Weeks passed. The village was perhaps half complete, shops and workplaces nearly done, the wall just started, and temporary grass housing still being used by most. Crissa wore the necklace constantly, but she couldn't get the courage to wear it outside her top, so nobody yet knew she had it. When she was alone, though, she constantly was taking it out and admiring it. As for Drisden, she kept looking for him, but never saw him. Still, she had the strong feeling that he was keeping an eye on her, and was often close by. If she saw the grasses shift, or heard twigs snap, somehow she felt it was the lion, watching her.

She'd been over it so many times in her head she was worn out from fretting about it. She really wanted to trust the lion and go back to see him again, to try and be friends, but she was not sure, and her fears kept her from doing it. Often though, she daydreamed about him, always in increasingly erotic ways.

She imagined laying on her back, hair fanned out around her lovely head, which was lifted up on pillows so she could watch what was happening between her wide-spread legs. He had a grip on her ankles and was thrusting into her with feline speed while she wailed in pleasure and begged him for more. She wondered what it felt like to mate with a lion, and even naively wondered if he could impregnate her and she could birth kittens.

In her mind, his beauty grew and grew, and the naked perfection of his strong, gentle body became more and more overtly sexual. She imagined him posing naked beneath a waterfall, liquid sluicing down his bare body, glistening in his soft fur. She imagined coming on him as he bathed, and the two of them gazing lustily at each other. She imagined his erection growing, and smiling at him knowing that it was for her he was lusting. The dream always ended with her climbing naked into the water to join her body to his, and whenever she thought of it, her heart raced. Goddess... to give herself to a predator... to know that he had the power to kill her instantly, yet held her and protected her and made love to her was enough to drive her wild. Sadly, through all her thoughts of him, her fear kept her from acting.

She belatedly remembered and told her father of the lion's warning, that there was a large group of feral hyenas that roamed these lands, that they were not safe. Because she did not tell him whereby she'd learned this information, he'd reacted in his typical way towards his daughter; he dismissed it as foolishness. Her frustrations and loneliness, brought on exclusively by her father, pushed her more and more towards doing something reckless and seeking out the predator.

One day, examining her necklace on the way to the village's favorite watering hole, a spring that flowed at the edge of the river, something happened that would force her hand, force her to make her choice about everything that was happening in her life.

* * *

Drisden had been watching Crissa for weeks. He knew her routine, her friends, her family... and sometimes when she'd sense him and look in his direction, where he was hidden in the grass, it felt as if their minds touched. Whenever she was alone, she was always looking at his gift, and was clearly enamored with it, lovely brown eyes sparkling delightedly as she gazed at it.

She was heading towards the watering hole, not watching where she was going, just staring at the jewelry. Unbeknownst to her, the lion was up in a tree, hidden in the branches, trying to get up the courage to speak with her. He didn't want her to think he was stalking her, but somehow, he had to break the ice and attempt to interact with her again.

Arriving at the water's edge, she gracefully sank down and buried her muzzle in the cold, fresh water, drinking thirstily. He felt such affection for her, he smiled to watch her. She was so sweet, he couldn't help but love her more the more he saw her.

Finishing with her drink, she smacked her glossy black lips and sighed, sitting back on the grassy bank and again examining the necklace. Say something to her... his heart was racing. If he messed this up again, she might never trust him. Frozen with the fear of failure, he did nothing but merely watched her.

She gathered her long brown curls back with a hand, then leaned out over the still pool of water and admired herself in the reflection. He saw her lovingly run her delicate fingers over the present, looking delighted by it still. Again he tried to speak, to greet her gently, but his courage failed. There had to be a better way to do this, to ensure...

He froze mid-thought, seeing movement up the river, directly behind where Crissa was sitting, admiring her gift. His sharp eyes immediately detected it, and as he watched, a hyena crept into view. It was plain the thing had Crissa's scent and was stalking her. He could tell it was a hyena from that big feral pack, because it was twice the size of a normal feral, and twice as vicious and mean... and it was after the woman he loved.

He took a breath to call out a warning to her, and the thing charged. There was no time to call out, no time to think, for in a few steps it would be upon her and tear her throat out with its massive, slavering jaws. He dropped from the tree and charged forward, straight towards it to intercept. Goddess, if only he could run faster...

* * *

Crissa was absorbed in her treasure, but not so much that the movement of a full-grown adult lion dropping out of the trees not twenty feet from her could possibly go unnoticed. There he was, beautiful, vicious, terrible; Drisden, charging her at top speed, claws extended in both paws, fingers splayed, teeth snarling. She screamed in terror. He had come to take his necklace back. She'd been a fool to wear it, he was clearly furious at her for desecrating it with her filthy herbivore hands.

There was no time to even clamber to her feet. She could only throw her arms up and scream her death scream as the lion lept... right over her head. Her terror was so great she tore the necklace from her neck and cast it aside, leaping to her feet and dashing towards the village, bleating in mindless terror.

* * *

Drisden saw her eyes, saw the fear he was causing as he charged to protect her. She had no idea the Hyena was even there, all she saw was a lion charging for the kill. It broke his heart into a thousand pieces to cause her such fear, and he thrice cursed the damnable feral for choosing this moment to attack the thing most precious in the world to him.

It leapt for her, oblivious to the lion charging it so focused on the easy kill was it. Drisden leapt straight over her head, and caught its throat in his hand merely a foot from her delicate neck. He landed with a thud, heard her screaming, and rolled, even as he clutched the hyena's throat in his claws, looking back to see if she was well. He saw her tear the necklace off, clearly thinking that her wearing it had offended him, and took off running at top speed. Then his eyes clouded with tears and he turned back to the struggling animal in his grip. "Damn you! Now she'll never, ever trust me! Oh goddess damn you to the blackest hells you stupid beast!"

It brought him no solace to snap its neck and end its life with a gurgled yelp. He sank down to his knees and sobbed. "I was going to talk to her! If only I hadn't waited! If only we'd been talking and she would have known... would have seen! Now she thinks I tried to kill her! DAMN YOU!" He slashed at the hyena's corpse, his sorrow boiling over as he again and again saw her tear the necklace, his precious gift that she'd loved so much, the gift he'd been so proud to give her, off her neck, discarded.

Trying not to sob like a kitten, but ultimately failing, he picked himself up and shuffled over to the river bank, retrieving the necklace. Would it do any good to give it to her now? No, of course it wouldn't. Feeling crushed beyond what he could bear, he stumbled towards home.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Drisden, Crissa's flight had ended at the edge of the grasses. She turned her head and realized that once again, the lion was not giving chase. He was on the ground, struggling... She sank into the grass and watched in awe as he killed the biggest hyena she'd ever seen in her life. Then it dawned on her, that hyena had been going to kill her! Drisden had just saved her life! Relief washed over her, and with it an end to her fear of him.

She watched him, heard his words, saw his tears. Her heart was filled with joy. He truly cared for her, it was not just a lie! He'd risked his life for her! He picked up the necklace, and her smile faded. She didn't even remember tearing it off. Her hand fluttered up to her neck, and sure enough, it wasn't there. Then she remembered a flash of terror, thinking that he'd been enraged and insulted that a lowly beast such as her would dare to put his predator jewelry around her neck.

She was suddenly indecisive. Would he be angry with her for throwing it to the ground? She loved that necklace like she'd never loved anything she'd ever had in her life, and she desperately wanted it back. She watched, unsure what to do, as he shuffled off. At last, she made up her mind. She wanted to be in that lion's arms, not as his prey, but as his love. She stood up and started after him.

As she neared the water, however, she slowed and stopped over the body of the dead hyena. His warning of a pack of ferals that roamed the area came back to her. What if this was a straggler? What if it was a scout? What if her people were in grave danger, or even worse, were already under attack?

More than anything else in the whole world, she wanted to take off after Drisden and throw herself upon him in love, but she could not do it while her people were in grave danger. With a sickening twist in her stomach, she realized she had to return to the village and tell them what had happened here. It was her duty.

Hating herself for being unable to go after Drisden and comfort his sorrow, she reluctantly turned and started to run back towards the village, intent on telling them that there was great danger from feral hyenas of incredible size.

* * *

Half way back to his cave, Drisden suddenly woke up out of his self-pity enough to realize that it would be a rude and disgusting thing to do to the Impalas to leave the carcass of a kill to rot right at their watering hole. They might even take it as a warning of death from a predator and feel the need to run away.

He turned and jogged back to the corpse. Upon arrival, he found it just as he'd left it. No sign of Crissa, of course. He grabbed a leg and began to drag the heavy body with some effort. Even though he was very strong, the massive hyena, as big as a donkey, was extremely heavy. Cursing it over and over again under his breath he dragged it along, intent on floating it down the river at a point where the water picked up speed. It would carry the corpse far into the distance, where it would wash ashore for carrion eaters to feast upon.

* * *

Crissa skidded to a halt. The village was untouched, thank goddess. As much as she disliked her father, she was certain that he would be pleased with her for this. Giving a warning of a possible hyena attack would give them a chance to prepare for it, at least by prioritizing building walls. She took off running again, finding her father talking with the elders of the village.

"Pappa! I have emergency news!" she called, without preamble. Immediately she regretted what she'd called him, because he stiffened and scowled as he turned to her. She shrank a little. "It's an emergency..." she repeated, hoping her mistake would be forgiven in light of her mission.

Dismissing the elders, her father stomped towards her, looking angry. "What is it, daughter?"

"Th... the hyenas! I saw one! It attacked me at the watering hole! If there is a pack of them, they might soon be here to attack us!"

Her words did not have any of the desired effect. He stared at her in silence for a long time, then icily said "Hyenas?"

"Yes, I was attacked by one at the watering hole! It was huge! Absolute enormous! What if it was a scout? We need to ready our defenses! We should put up a thornbush wall until we can build the permanent one!"

Again, he glared at her, speaking in a soft voice that belied his anger. "Crissa, other than your wild stories of hyenas once before, we have seen not one shred of evidence that any of them are anywhere near this area."

"But one nearly killed me!"

"Then how did you survive it?"

"I... I... it..."

The chief sneered. "Yes, that is what I thought."

She drew herself up angrily. "I'm not lying! Its corpse is right by the river! Come and see! Then you'll have to believe me!"

He shook his head. "I have no desire to chase after one of your fantasies."

"Please, Pappa! Come and see! I swear to you I am not making this up!" she cried, exasperated and pleading all at once.

He sighed. "Fine, if this will quiet you. Take me there."

Full of confidence, she led her father and a growing number of curious villagers through the main street of their little town, down and up several hills, into the forest that grew around the river, and to the watering hole. She was confident, sure that her father would be proud of her. She walked regally, with her head held high, until they neared the riverbank. Suddenly she realized she could not see the corpse.

Her confidence left her in an instant and she hurried forward, thinking perhaps it was obscured by some of the tall grasses that grew around the spring. At last she came to the bank and with a horrible, grinding sinking feeling in her stomach, she realized the body was gone. She looked around, desperately, but saw nothing.

"Well?" her father said, his voice sounding on the edge of rage.

Her voice trembling, she squeaked "It... it was right here... I don't know..."

He punched her in the stomach, knocking the wind out of her with a 'whoof.' "You lying little brat! Did you bring me here to make fun of me? To waste my time? Damn you, Crissa! You have been a disappointment to me since the day you were born female! If this is some ploy to stave off your marriage to Lungao, it isn't going to work! I'm not going to move the whole tribe again just on your whim to avoid your responsibilities!"

He knelt so he could shout at her closer to her face as she struggled to breathe, tears in her eyes. "I've put up with you long enough! You are within a week of being old enough for me to choose your mate. We aren't going to wait that long, we're going to marry you off so I can have a son-in-law that has some worth! And if you do anything else to try to obstruct your mating, anything at all, I'm going to put you into the cage!" He gave her another kick to the stomach, and stormed off. Her face burned in shame as she saw the pitying looks in the faces of the other villagers.

Amilee and Abigail, her two best friends, stepped forward and knelt. "Goddess, Crissa... I'm so sorry... the chief is so cruel! Let me help you up."

They reached for Crissa's arms, but the younger female shook her head. "No..." she wheezed. "Just please leave me alone." Amilee could see the tears pouring from her friend's eyes, and she wanted to stay to comfort her, but the other female would not let her. Reluctantly, she left, herding the other villagers with her.

Alone, Crissa sobbed both from the painful punch and kick, and also from the shame and humiliation. She had not hallucinated, so where was the damnable beast's body? Worse, her father had really hammered home how close her forced betrothal really was, whether he sped it up or not. Lungao had to be the only male in the whole tribe who was worse than her father, and she'd hoped to at least convince him that she preferred another male. She sobbed, feeling that her life was in very real danger if she would be married to violent, temperamental, selfish, misogynistic Lungao. Her father's opinion of women had rubbed off on many of the young males, him especially.

Where had the corpse gone? Had the lion not killed it and it had crawled off? Still sobbing and wiping tears from her eyes, she painfully clambered to her hooves and looked around. She was not a hunter, nor a tracker, but after a few minutes she recognized the signs of drag marks. Something, or perhaps Drisden, had dragged it off through here!

For a moment she entertained the idea of getting her father back and following the trail with him so she could prove the truth, but then she realized he'd never come out again, he'd only hurt her more and shame her in front of everyone. She sank back down and sat there, sobbing. Oh, how she hated her father. Usually she made excuses for him in her mind, trying to understand where his anger came from and forgive him for it.

He'd not always been like this, but when her mother, his wife, had died protecting her daughter from a predator attack, leaving her husband the chief without the son in her womb, everything had changed. His bitterness over losing his wife and son, that she had sacrificed herself for Crissa, and that he had no heir had eroded his kindness and left him resentful of Crissa's very existence, and females in general were subject to the same resentment.

She had no idea why he'd not mated again... perhaps he'd made some promise to his wife and was making good on it, refusing to take another, but it just made Crissa's situation ten times worse, because it meant he had no hope of having a son. Oh, how she hated the male-centric laws of her tribe! Females were little more than property, looked on as if they were retarded. This sentiment had been bad enough as it was even before her father, she knew. It had always been there, but now it was much worse for the females who were looked on as sex toys and reproductive stock more than partners and equals.

All this because a predator, a feral lion she couldn't even remember she'd been so little, had killed her mother. She sobbed, her broken heart weighing down upon her impossibly heavy. So great was her grief and confusion, it took her over fifteen minutes before she abruptly remembered Drisden, and the chance for salvation that he represented.

Her broken heart sored. If only he would take her as a mate and love her! If only he meant what he'd said about friendship! She looked back at the village; she had no other choice now. She was going to go to Drisden and throw herself on his mercies, because she didn't want to even live anymore if it meant marrying Lungao.

Drying her tears, she stood up and started to briskly walk towards the lone rock pile, situated in the middle of the grasslands several miles away to the north. Her heart thrilled within her. If only he would love her... she wouldn't even care if she was treated like property, if it meant she was at last beyond her father's grasp.

* * *

Drisden threw himself on his bed, but even that made him feel worse. He'd enlarged his bed, hoping it would soon be sleeping two... but now she was forever beyond his reach. Anger again flared within him, and he wished he could kill the hyena all over again, to punish it for ruining his hopes and dreams. He lay face down in the soft furs, breathing heavily, willing this whole fiasco to have simply been a bad dream, one he'd wake up from and be glad to know he still had a chance with Crissa.

But there was nothing to awaken from. All he could do was replay over and over again in his head the split seconds that had made up their second encounter; her terror, ripping the necklace off and screaming in panicked fear... the crunch of bones and the sound of fleeing hoves. How could it have gone that wrong?

* * *

Crissa reached the big pile of rocks and the predator's home cave about an hour later. She'd walked rather slowly after her initial burst of speed. She ran over and over in her mind what she was going to say, barging into the Lion's den. Would he be insulted? Would he be enraged at her gall? She carefully worked out what she would say to him under various circumstances that he might react to her in.

Now that she was staring up at the small mountain, she felt her courage failing her. He was so big and strong... what did a little, pathetic creature like an Impala matter to him? She was beneath him. And of course there was the fear that he'd attack and eat her after all.

Before the last of her waning courage could leave her, she stepped resolutely around the pile to the cave. Each step became more timid, though, until as she stepped inside, she was tiptoeing as quietly as she could. Her heart was racing a mile a minute. Suddenly, despite everything, she was sure he was going to kill her. She set her jaw; better a quick death than a life of inestimable mysery as that... that scumbag's mate. Just get it over with.

Her eyes adjusted to the darker interior of the cool, comforting cave. There on the bed, face down and shakily panting as if trying to hold back tears, was Drisden. He was even more beautiful than she'd remembered, and for a moment she just stared at him in awe. She felt so inadequate compared to him...

She at last took a shaky breath and in a tiny voice, squeaked "Drisden?"

She'd said it so softly she didn't think there was any way he'd have heard it, but his head snapped up, his eyes wide in shock as he beheld her. A look of rapturous joy filled his face and he gave a cry of delight. "Crissa!!!"

He leapt to his feet and dove upon the delicate female, which instinctively made her want to run. Then she was in his strong arms, and he was holding her close, almost sobbing in relief. "I... I thought I'd never see you again! I'm sSO sorry I frightened you! There was a huge hyena charging you, going to kill you! There wasn't time for anything! I'd never hurt a hair on your lovely head! I had to act to save your life! Please forgive me for frightening you!"

She listened to his words, feeling dizzy as she embraced the powerful predator, filling her arms with his big, beautiful body. It was insane! She was hugging a lion, smelling his scent, feeling his strength! When at last she could get a word in edgewise, she replied "I know... I know what happened. When I realized you weren't chasing me I snuck back and saw everything. I know you saved my life, Drisden, thank you from the bottom of my heart! The only reason I didn't run to your arms right then and there is I had to warn my village of the Hyena! They're my people and I have to try and protect them... I hated to let you go thinking you'd lost me..."

He grinned with relief as she spoke, lifting her up and swirling her high over his head like she weighted no more than a blade of grass. "Thank the goddess! Oh, you are so beautiful, Crissa! I'm so happy I can't even express it!"

She squealed in delight to be lifted high into the air and spun. He was so strong, but so gentle! She felt giddy to be experiencing this. "I haven't been able to forget you for even a minute since I ran away. I'm sorry I was scared. I... I was just afraid you would... well, I know you won't, so please don't be angry with me for being so foolish..."

He plopped her lightly on her dainty hooves and gently touched her nose with his finger. "Now dear-heart, don't apologize for that. You know as well as I do that you must be careful in this cruel, unloving world. I'm glad you were so cautious. I just want you to know I would never hurt you... in fact, I want to give my life to keeping you safe and happy."

Her heart was suddenly thudding loudly in her ears. She took a deep breath, and the two of them simultaneously chorused, "May I please kiss you?"

They both grinned in delight at their shared desire, then melted together to experience an interspecies kiss. She felt his glossy black lips, glistening and moist, close over hers, his rough, thin feline tongue fearlessly tasting her and exploring her mouth. His tongue was so supple... she thought it was unbelievably sexy to lick her thick tongue against his. Just tasting the mouth of a predator was so taboo it was erotic beyond belief.

He held her tight in his arms, kissing her over and over, deeper and deeper, immersed in the flavor and smell of her. She felt tiny and helpless in his big, strong arms, but also incredibly safe. She had to be mindful of his needle sharp teeth, but she was lapping at his saliva as eagerly as he was lapping at hers. Tenderly he pulled back. "You taste exquisite, lovely girl. You are the most magnificent woman I've ever met."

She swallowed, savoring his flavor in her mouth before replying. "You are beyond gorgeous! Will... you promise that you'll never hurt me? You are so big and strong, it feels wonderful to be held by you, but also a little scary."

He nuzzled into her neck, and she found her face buried in his soft mane. "Crissa, I will never harm a single hair on your beautiful body. I won't strike you or shout at you, and I won't ever harm any sentient prey species, ever. I want to protect you from all harm, my sweet girl. Please don't be afraid of me anymore, not even the least little bit. I swear neither you nor your tribe will ever, ever have anything to fear from me."

She was smiling ear to ear as he spoke. "Oh thank you, my prince! I can't believe... that a mighty lion..."

"Is head over heels in love with you?" he finished for her.

She blushed and gasped, giggling. This was happening more wonderfully than her wildest dreams! To hide her embarrassment, she muttered "More kisses." and pressed her lips to his again. Fear gave way to absolute, unwavering trust inside her, and an incredible feeling followed it, a feeling beyond her whole life's experience; for the first time in her life, she realized she was beyond her father's clutches. It was such a joyous relief, such an amazing weight lifted off of her, she couldn't help it and began to cry very hard.

Shocked, Drisden pulled back, hurriedly saying "Am I holding you too tight? Did I scratch you? Was my tongue too rough? What's wrong, why are you crying? I didn't hurt you, did I???" he looked at her, panicking to think he might lose her yet.

She shook her head, trying to regain control of herself. "N...no, you didn't hurt me at all. I'm... I'm so happy I don't know what to do... I've been miserable for so long... happiness hurts it is so strong. Oh Drisden, I will give you everything I have to give... if you will only let me be with you.." She broke off, sobbing again.

Clinging to her as she spoke, the big lion now hugged her close. "My darling, I couldn't bear to have you leave! But tell me, what is it that has made you miserable? Oh sweet Crissa, tell me so I can fix it!"

It took a while before she could regain control, but when she did, she told him of her father, his hatred of her, that he blamed her for the death of his mate, her mother. She told of the laws of mating in her tribe, and that the tribe was so tiny she could find no mate that was not interested in her only so they could become chief. She told him of her father's revelation that she would be forced to marry Lungao. She then returned to her father's bitterness towards her, his dismissal of her warning of the hyenas, almost babbling as she told him every little fear and sadness and hurt she lived with every day.

When at last she fell silent, she could see he was filled with anger for her sake. "I have watched you and been very confused about your father's treatment of you. How could he blame you for your mother's death? What loving mother wouldn't give her life to protect her young? That is so unfair and cruel! Oh Crissa..."

Just hearing him commiserate with her was beyond comforting. It suddenly was easy to talk about topics she'd loathed to discuss for many years. "Well, it certainly isn't what my father would have done. He was disappointed in me from the beginning because I'm a girl. He wanted a son who could take over the tribe and keep the line of chiefs within our family. With my mother dead, there could be no chance of a male heir. I don't know why he didn't just take another mate. I guess he truly did love her and has stayed true to her memory. If that's true, it is the only noble thing he's ever done in his life."

"So you can't be chief simply because you are female?" The big lion snorted. "Such silliness. I suppose things are that way all over, though... Lion prides certainly tend towards male-centric. Because I am big and strong, I was clearly going to take over the pride when I was of age. So many females threw themselves at me, wanting to be alpha female, but I hated it, for I knew none of them loved me, they just wanted the honor of the position."

"I feel that same way! Oh, it is wonderful to talk with someone who understands! All my friends seemed to think it was wonderful to have males throwing themselves at me. They always envied me, and just couldn't understand why I hated it, no matter how I tried to explain it to them." She bubbled, clinging to him and feeling giddy all over again.

Gently he pulled her into the cave and they sat down on the side of his bed, an act which gave her a thrill and made her heart beat. Would they... become one flesh? She wondered if Drisden actually wanted to mate with her, or if that feeling was only hers alone. Surely the kisses meant physicality was coming... Voice trembling a bit, she softly said "Would... would you let me have the necklace back? I love it so much... I'm so sorry I tore it off..."

Her beautiful lion smiled, eyes twinkling, and nodded. He picked it up and carefully placed it around her neck, taking his time and stroking her body gently. She moaned, "Your touch is so gentle. Thank you. I never want to lose this gift. The gift you gave me. The first gift a male has ever given me simply out of his heart."

He blushed at her words, and to change the subject, asked why she did not join another tribe. She explained she would possibly be little more than a sex slave to them. Again he was angry at the situation, which made her feel incredibly good, simply knowing he cared. No one had ever cared like this before, not even her friends. She couldn't keep her eyes off that incredible body, curiosity and lust mixed in equal measures as she explored every inch of him.

Her breasts were heaving, in spite of their conversation, she was desperate to consummate a sexual relationship with him, to secure her future with him as her mate. She wondered if he could smell her arousal, and if it acted on him like it would a male Impala. She tried to get up the courage to touch his penis.

Drisden was speaking, and she focused on his words. "I ran away for many of the same reasons that trap you and make you miserable. I knew there was a reason for the connection I felt with you, Crissa. We may eat different things, but our lives are very much alike."

She felt like she was in heat, her pussy dripping on the furs of his bed, her breasts swollen and her cheeks flushed. She was dying to be fucked by this god of a male. Her need for him made her bold and blunt. "Dry... I I will never tell you no, my body will belong to you. I will do everything you need your woman to do, and I will love you with all my heart. I know I'm nothing more than a little, weak herbivore, and I probably can't compare to a magnificent lioness... but no lioness could love you like I do. Please, will you... will you be my mate?" With those words, she stood and shrugged out of her clothes. Normally she was proud of her voluptuous body, but compared to him she fell feeble and unimpressive.

He smiled gently. "Goddess, you are so sweet." His eyes roved over her body in visible lust. "Goddess, you are sooo beautiful." He then seemed to register her words, and replied, his cock swelling under his loincloth. "Could you ever doubt it? Lionesses are all muscle and roughness. Your soft, curvy body is beautiful beyond belief to me. You light me on fire with lust, and I want no other but you. I love you, Cree, and I want nothing else in this world more than I want you to be my mate. Yes, I will be your mate, my love. If you will have me, I shall be yours for eternity."

Shyly, he pulled off his loincloth, revealing his throbbing cock. The two stared at each other, drinking in the beauty of another species. She thought his naked body looked much better than any Impala. He was panting in lust, eyes glued to her pert pussy and her delicate, protuberant clit. She was dripping and leaking, rivulets running down and soaking her leg fur. She held her delicate arms out to him. "Take my body and use it to give yourself pleasure."

He laced his fingers through hers and pulled her onto his lap, falling back into the bed with her sitting on his chest, his cock rubbing against her gorgeous little bubble butt. "I will only do such a thing if it gives you every bit as much pleasure as it gives me. Cree, I don't want a slave wife, or a submissive, frightened mate. You are not beneath me, as you seem to think. I want you as my equal in every single way. You are not sexy to me because I am bigger and stronger than you, not at all! You are sexy to me because I feel like we are equals in all things."

She smiled. In her wildest dreams she couldn't have imagined that he would feel that way about it. "Oh, Dry..." she breathed, then lowered herself and kissed him, rubbing her body up and down his, her breasts, tight, firm tummy, and dripping wet pussy grinding against him.

"Oh goddess, that feels good! You are so sexy!" he cried.

"Mate with me, then! I want to be fucked by a predator! I want to learn how to mate with you! If you want me as an equal, then fuck me like I'm another predator!"

The lion smiled at her wickedly. "If that is your wish, my mate. Let us become on flesh and make good on our vows." He caught her body and rolled over above her, tongue lolling a bit, looking delirious with lust as he grabbed her ankles and spread her legs wide, lifting them up so that her pussy was in line with his throbbing cock. She admired his dick, the beautiful veins on it, the swollen purple head... That glorious male sex was hers to enjoy!

She looked up at him and it dawned on her that a fully grown, horny adult male lion was kneeling over her, preparing to fuck her. Despite her confident words to him, she felt a little afraid, hoping that he would not use her too violently. She opened her mouth to say something, but he pushed the head of his pulsing cock into her wet pussy, and the words died in her throat, replaced with a cry of shock.

She needn't have worried, however. He was very gentle and careful as he pushed into her. Slowly he slid it inside her, deep into her steamy-hot pink flesh. She could feel that luscious, warm and hard shaft sliding inside. Other than playing with herself with her fingers, she'd never done anything sexual, it wasn't permitted of the chief's daughter, especially in her position. This feeling of a male entering her was wholly new.

She gripped his arms and squeaked at the foreign sensation. His cock seemed to be miles long, as he kept pushing more and more of it into her, deeper and deeper. She worked her jaw, and he seemed to understand she was overwhelmed with her first time. his fingers softly stroked her throat, then down to her breasts, fondling them, tweaking her nipples and kissing them all over. It distracted her from the feeling of him entering her pussy, which helped a lot.

Then she felt him reach the back of her love tunnel. He groaned in ecstasy. "I'm all the way inside you, my mate. I'm buried inside your beautiful body. We are one flesh, we are one body, we are one spirit. I love you, Crissa." he gently purred.

She relaxed in his arms, enjoying his touch on her sensitive breasts, reveling in the thought that a predator was inside her body. She cooed and hummed, sighing deeply. His golden eyes watched her carefully. "Are you OK? I'm not hurting you am I?" he softly whispered.

She shook her head. "It feels really weird. I've never had anything inside me like this, and it takes my breath away, but it doesn't hurt."

"Does it feel good?"

She thought for a moment. "It might. There's only one way to tell that; start moving."

He nodded, hugging her close to him, and carefully began to work his hips. She felt that meat begin to squirm inside her, wetly slipping through her womanhood, lighting her nerves on fire with the touch. In and out he slowly worked, while she twitched and moaned "Goddess... ooo... It feels so intense... Dry... it's starting to feel good now. Oh kitten, you are so gentle. Thank you for taking care of my first time. I love having you inside. Move more, I can take it."

He sped up, beginning to work long, luxurious strokes in and out of her candy sweetness. "Ahh... your Impala body is so deliciously sexy... I can feel you squeezing on me as I move!" he gasped, in between kisses and nips on her breasts.

She moaned in delight to feel him shudder and writhe with pleasure, knowing she was giving these feelings to this perfect male. Surely he would never harm his mate... "Dry... I feel so full... it's incredible to feel this!" She squeaked.

He attacked her breasts, licking her nipples with his rough tongue, squeezing both of them in his paws. He worked them just hard enough to feel the best, and she wailed in delight, grabbing fistfuls of his long hair and pressing him down against her. He was going ever faster, starting to really get into the timeless rhythm of fucking, pressing his rock hard cock deep into her impossibly soft, jelly-like flesh.

After a while of thrusting into her and licking and nipping her breasts while she warbled inarticulately in pleasure, he rose up over her, grabbing her bony ankles and spreading her out wide. "Goddess, you look so incredible like this." he moaned, looking down at her as she played with her chest, still soaking wet from his drool. He began to groom her legs and lick her black hooves until they were shiny and spotlessly clean.

She was arching her back and rolling about as she drowned in the erotic pleasure of having sex with a different species. She was staring at the ceiling, eyes unfocused, a happy smile on her lips. "You've made me into a woman..." she murmured, her voice slurred with luxury and pleasure. "This is the happiest moment of my liIIFEEE!" She yelped the last part as he really pulled back and drove it in with a wet slurping sound.

He started to go full speed now, pounding her hard, her fresh, unspoiled body tensing up at the assault for a moment. She then relaxed and bawled loudly in pleasure. That feline dick felt better than she could believe, and her pleasure was building so much she was about to orgasm. Gritting his teeth, her love moaned "And you've made me into a man. A man who will never be satisfied with another woman for as long as he lives."

She howled and came at his words, pussy spasming and clenching tightly on him, matching the rhythm of his fucking. She squirted her girl juice all over his body, gritting her own teeth and snarling in her best approximation of a lion's roar. Her eyes were squeezed shut as the tidal wave of pleasure crashed over her. She twitched and spasmed, body jerking in his arms as he grabbed her up against him and drove it in frantically.

As if the incredible orgasm enveloping her untouched virgin body was not enough, she felt his cock pulse inside her, then felt a pressured squirting sensation, and knew he was shooting his spunk directly in to her womb. She screamed "Yes! Fuck me! Cum in me! It feels so good! I am your lioness! Aaaagh!" Though her fingers lacked claws, she nevertheless dug her fingers into his pelt, clawing at his flesh in her cum-frenzied, feral state.

He loved how rough she was getting, it was a surprise considering her tiny body and normally delicate touch. She was acting out her fantasy and pretending she was a lioness, which he found adorable as she tried to snarl. Her cuteness made him love her all the more. They clung to each other and ejaculated, flooding each other's bodies with cum, with pleasure, with intimate sex.

At last they both collapsed back on his warm, soft fur bed, gasping for air after their frenzied love making. Drisden immediately dove on her lips, kissing her as deeply as his rough feline tongue could reach in her juicy wet mouth. She kissed back, drinking the predator's saliva with relish, enjoying the taboo nature of the act.

After a moment, still panting, he raised himself up, breaking the kiss and looking down at where she was sprawled beneath him, her body still contorted into the position she'd been writhing in as her orgasm finally abated. The stared at each other, then both grinned and broke out laughing in delight. He rolled her over on top of him and hugged her with all the strength he dared, lest he hurt her. She squeaked from how tight it was, but hugged back with all her strength as well. They laughed in glee for a moment, then panting and grinning, kissed several more times.

At last, Crissa spoke. "That was better than I thought it could possibly be! Oh, my mate, it was wonderful! I feel like a predator myself!"

He laughed in delight and squeezed her until she squeaked again. "You were a little tigress! Oh my goddess, that felt so incredibly good! I never want to leave the bed again! Let's just stay here and make love for the rest of our lives!"

For a long time, they cuddled together, fingers exploring flesh, hushed words and whispered laughter the only sounds in the cave. Their mating was slowly sinking into both of them, and with it a feeling of love and responsibility towards each other.

Giggling, she rested her head against his chest. "That was sooo wonderful!" She paused and seemed to think about it, her smile fading.

stroking her soft cheek, he gently cooed "What is it?"

Her eyes met his again, and she had almost a feverish, gleeful glint in her eyes. "Drisden, can... can I show you off to my tribe? I'm so excited! I want my friends to meet you! And I want to tell them that you are kind and gentle..."

"...and that I would be honored to be your little tribe's guardian angel." he finished, smiling.

She nodded. "You will!? That would be wonderful! I'm so excited! Our tribe has gotten so small, we almost aren't even a tribe anymore."

It was his turn for his smile to fade and a troubled look to come over his face. Seeing it, she softly murmured "What?"

He sighed. "Think about your reaction when you first saw me. Panic mixed with blind instinct to run. I don't think it would be a very good idea for me to just go marching into the village square, I'm liable to cause a panic and a riot."

"You'd be with me, and I can tell them that they are safe around you!" She chirped as if that closed the matter.

Somehow, Drisden knew that would by no means work, that her ingrown fear of predators would be echoed in each of her tribe. He doubted it would matter if she were beside him, screaming at the top of her lungs at them that he was not going to harm them. "We'll need to think about the most tactful way of going about such a thing, honey."

She brushed her fingers through his mane. "It'll work out. Ohhh, you are so handsome. I love how soft your fur and hair are."

He sighed, letting the matter drop and simply enjoyed laying there with her, bonding and talking, warm and happy in the comforting afterglow of sex.

* * *

They cuddled in the cool, dry cave, enjoying getting to know each other for a long time. As the day wore on, they walked through the forest, holding hands. She showed him the things she liked to eat the best, and he helped gather some for her as they ambled along together. She squealed in glee when she saw a field mouse scamper across their path, and shrieked and dove behind her lion lover when she saw a big spider, clinging to his back and squeezing her lovely eyes shut until he got rid of it. As twilight came, they curled up in the lush grasses by the riverbank and watched the sky become dark and fill with myriads of stars.

When it was completely night out, Crissa heaved a contented sigh, holding her hand up and moving it, watching the stars wink out one by one as her hand blocked them, only to blink back again as her hand passed. It seemed to have her totally engrossed, and totally delighted at the same time. Drisden watched her, finding her endlessly fascinating, her thoughts and actions so different from his own.

Being a predator, he was usually very focused and serious, always analyzing his surroundings and situation to establish the optimal way to defend or attack. She was alert for a much different reason, simply ready to flee at the first hint of danger, but with him close and her trust at last absolute, she had thrown her cares and caution to the wind, trusting him to care for her. Watching her play with her hand, covering the stars with it, he realized how much of the world passed him by with nary a glance or thought.

She seemed so simple and happy... the big lion found himself lifting his own paw up, holding it next to hers, and moving it when she moved, watching the effect along with her. Seeing him copying her, she brightly said "I've always liked to do this since I was a little girl; It feels like I command the stars, like I can make them flicker on and off just by waving my hand, as if the universe answers to me. I started doing it after Mommy died and my father despised me. I felt so helpless, and I could pretend I had great power. Whenever I feel depressed, I lay out in the grass beside my home and play with the stars, and it comforts me. When I do it when I'm happy, it makes me feel so peaceful and content, like now."

The Impala fell silent, giving her big mate plenty to think about and absorb as they moved their paws back and forth over the heavens. At last, Drisden spoke, voice soft. "I've never even thought about doing something like this."

She gave a nervous laugh. "I didn't realize how childish and stupid that was going to sound until after I said it. You must think I'm kinda dumb, huh?"

The lion reared up and rolled to the side, facing her, and gently stroked her belly. "No, I didn't mean it like that. I meant that I'm always so focused on what I'm doing, I never stop and take the time to just experience the world like this. Just to take pleasure in field mice or looking up at the stars... Well, I've never once done this, and I love it. I love that about you, it is so wonderful, I just want to experience the world with you and have you help me to see the things I've never seen before."

She looked up at him and stroked his majestic face with her fingers. "Really? I always thought I was acting childish noticing things like that... you like it?"

"I love it."

She heaved a great sigh and rolled against him, pressing herself against him and burying her nose in his soft neck fur. A moment later, she gave a big yawn, making a cute little trill as she did it. It made him want to squeeze her again it was so sweet. Instead, he softly said "Shall we sleep under the curtain of the stars, or go back to the cave and sleep in my bed?"

Her voice already a little slurred from tiredness, she replied "Dunno. Whichever you wanna. Well... I've always wanted to sleep under the stars, but it's much too dangerous for a prey animal like me. But in your strong arms, nothing could touch us, we'd be perfectly safe."

He gently rumbled with laughter. "Alright then, let us sleep right here, listening to the gurgle of the stream and the sounds of crickets. Goodnight, my sweet mate."

"Goonight, Dry." She whispered, then nuzzled into his neck fur again. He protectively wrapped an arm around her and wiggled around a bit to get comfortable in the soft grass. Soon they were both peacefully asleep.

* * *

Waking up in the fresh green grass, damp with morning dew was disorienting enough for Crissa, but the fact that she was alone, no longer held close by Drisden woke her up in a hurry. She blinked, squinting in the bright light, looking towards the water to see if he was bathing. No, he was not there, and his loincloth was gone from the pile of clothes they'd left beside them.

Instantly, she was alert and fearful. A prey animal like an Impala, even a sentient one like Crissa, never moved out of the home camp without being completely aware of their surroundings. To be waking up here, alone, with no idea what might have crept up on her while she slept, was frankly terrifying. She turned her head this way and that, looking for evidence of anything around her, sniffing the air. After several minutes of hardly daring to breathe, she at last began to think about her situation.

Where was her mate? That was the most important thing. With him was safety, without him was great uncertainty, and she was far, far away from the village, out past the rock pile he called home. She was breathing quickly, afraid to move and make any noise lest it mask the onset of a predator. Still there was nothing as the moments passed by.

At last, loathed to move but even more loathed to be sitting here on the ground in a position which would make fast fleeing very difficult, she rolled onto her knees and grabbed her clothes. She was just finished tying on her loincloth when she heard the unmistakable sound of stealthy movement in the forest to her left. Her head came around, eyes wide in fear. A branch was swinging. It was high up in a tree, meaning that something large had brushed against it. She wanted to run.

Then rationality kicked in. It must be Drisden, mustn't it? He was returning from wherever he'd gone... right? A million possibilities swam through her head in those few seconds. Everything from Drisden's entire existence having been a dream and she'd sleep-walked out here, to the fear that he was still simply toying with her and was now stalking her, preparing to eat her. He'd not eaten once since they'd been together, though she had dined heartily. He must be very hungry... Lions love the taste of Impala...

Her knees were knocking. A branch closer to her suddenly started swaying, but still she could not see through the thick bushes beside the river clearing to see what it was. Whatever it was, it was moving stealthily, making almost no noise, and traveling from a direction that would not carry its scent towards Crissa. When she thought about it like that, she was sure she was being hunted. Please, please don't let it be that Dry is false and was always going to eat me... she prayed desperately to the goddess.

Then a twig snapped, sounding close enough to just be on the other side of the bushes. If it was Drisden hunting her, making noise at this point would not help or harm her dire situation, for he already knew where she was. If it was some other animal, screaming to him might bring him back quickly enough to save her from whatever this was. Though all her instincts were to be quiet, she panicked and shrieked "Drisden!!! HELP!!!"

Immediately, whatever it was stopped moving stealthily and suddenly the brush was shaking and heavy footfalls were crunching through the undergrowth. She took a deep breath to scream again, and the bushes were yanked apart, revealing the big lion hurrying towards her, concern written on his face. "What? I'm here! What is the matter!?"

She was shaking like a leaf, and his presence did not calm her down in the least, and she backed away as he approached. Her voice an octave higher than normal, she managed to weakly squeak "Why? Why were you stalking me? Why were you creeping up? Was... was it all a lie and you are going to kill and eat me?"

Drisden looked shocked and appalled at her words. "Of course not, love! I wasn't stalking you, I was trying to be quiet to keep from waking you up, you were sleeping so peacefully when I left!"

He'd stopped approaching when she started retreating, something which did not make him happy. It made him feel like he was going to lose her again. Mistrust was in her eyes as she at last spoke. "Where were you? I woke up alone! It's so far from safety, I was terrified, and then when you come stalking up to me..."

The lion hadn't meant the least bit of harm. He'd only been trying to let her sleep, not stalking her. Still, he realized how this would have looked and seemed to a flighty prey animal, and his cheeks burned with embarrassment. "I was hungry, so I went to catch some food. I didn't figure you'd be particularly eager to see me hunt and kill, so I wanted to do it before you woke up. I'm really sorry, Cree. I didn't realize how you'd take me sneaking up. I... I brought you some breakfast." He blinked and looked at her hopefully, holding up the armful of her favorite treats of bark, roots and leaves that he'd collected.

She hadn't even noticed the food he was carrying, but seeing it and at last understanding his words, she relaxed and dove upon him with a soft sob. Seeing her coming, he knelt and set down his pile of food and was up again with arms outstretched to catch and hold her close when she reached him. "I'm sorry..." he whispered over and over again.

Through her tears, she haltingly managed "D...don't ever creep up on me, please. Just walk and make noise, 'cause then I know you aren't hunting me. I don't c... care if you wake me up, I'll feel safe if you approach me like you aren't hunting..."

He clung to her tightly, crying a little himself to see her so upset, and feel her body trembling like a leaf. To know he'd caused her such terror, made her think again that he was hunting her filled him with shame and humiliation. "I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you..." he sniffled

At last she seemed to calm down and stop shaking. Now she looked at the food he'd brought her, thought of how sweet and precious it was that he'd do this for her, and began to feel shame herself. She'd accused him out loud of hunting her. She'd seen his face fall as her words cut him deep. Here he'd been trying to be so good to her and she'd responded like this. She hung her head. "I'm sorry that I accused you... I was scared and I wasn't thinking."

Ever the gentleman, her mate shook his head emphatically. "No! You have nothing to apologize for, sweetling, I was the one who wasn't thinking, creeping up on you and scaring you. I'd never, ever do anything to frighten you on purpose."

Her demeanor seemed to brighten and she lifted his big, heavy paw to her black lips and velveteen nose, gently nuzzling and kissing his fingers. "Don't think anything more about it, Dry. I'm just relieved, and I'm so glad you are back." She looked down and saw the tasty morsels he'd brought her, and her heart again ached at his sweetness and thoughtfulness. Gazing into his glistening yellow eyes, she softly added "Thank you very much for bringing me breakfast."

Looking relieved that all was forgiven, he wiped his eyes and beamed at her. "You're welcome! I'd be a poor mate if I went and filled my belly and didn't bring anything for you to eat!"

Her eyes twinkled and they sat down in the grass so she could dine. They were both learning that an interspecies mating is fraught with complications, but every time they made mistakes, they were learning and growing closer.

* * *

They chatted while Crissa ate, and when she was done, she brightly said "Can we go to my village now and introduce you to them?"

Drisden's brow furrowed at that. "Princess... they aren't going to accept me. They're going to be terrified that you brought a predator into the camp. They'll panic, and panic wildly."

Crissa was a simple, sweet creature at heart, and as far as her understanding of the world went, she thoroughly believed that all her people would need would be her assurance, and they would accept him. Confident, she shook her head. "No, I'll explain it to them."

"You won't have time to explain it to them, when they see me coming from far off, they're going to run screaming." He countered softly.

That made her stop and think for a moment. "W... Well... Oh! I know! You can just hide in the grass like you were doing while watching me, and I'll go in and explain it, and then when I'm finished I can present you to them. That way they'll understand before they even see you."

The gentle lion thought about it. "You honestly think they'll trust you enough to trust me?"

She smiled. "My friends will trust me, and if they do, then their families will, and if their families will, then their family's friends will... on and on."

He sighed. "I guess it's worth a try. I suppose we'll have to try something, after all; you can't just disappear forever, and I'm sure you wouldn't want to say goodbye to everyone you know just because we were too afraid to introduce me... and if your tribe is small because of constant predator attacks, I would be honored to be a guardian and protect your people. But I caution you, my love, it is going to be hard to convince them, I am sure of it. You must be patient."

His words were finally getting through to her and she was realizing the truth in what he was saying. Her happiness was evaporating as she considered the problem. "I guess if it doesn't work and they panic despite me telling them, you could leave for a few days while I try to talk with those I am closest to and convince them."

His feline ears lying flat in distress, Drisden whined "What? Leave you? When we've only just mated? I couldn't bear to be apart from you for days!"

The romantic words delighted her, and also made her realize how much she would loath to be away from him, too. Tears again formed in her eyes. "I don't wanna do it either, Dry! I love you so much it hurts to think about being away from you! But... but we've got to figure out how to make this work somehow, and by now my family and friends must be panicking that I'm missing... I don't want to make them worry anymore.

Drisden smiled at her gently. "I know. We'll try it. And let us hope that they will listen to you the first time, so we don't have to be apart at all.

"I'll come to your home cave on the dawn of the sixth day at the absolute latest. If I haven't convinced any of them by then, I suppose there will be no hope. I'd rather be with you a thousand times over if that's the case."

"Alright." They stood up and began walking, arm in arm, both feeling glum at the possibility of being torn apart from each other when their love was so brand new and untested.

As they neared the simple Impala village, Crissa softly added "Dry, you better stay away from the village completely, don't go sneaking around in the grass trying to watch or anything, OK? If you were caught doing that... well, then they'd never believe or trust you ever again."

Blinking, the lion looked appalled. "But I want to stay close and protect you! What if something should happen to you? What if there is danger and you need protecting? I can't leave you all alone out here, it isn't safe!"

Crissa reached her slender hand up to his cheek. "Thank you for that. I love you too. You understand though, right? If you are seen by anyone, we'll instantly fail to convince them. I'll be alright, we have some mighty warriors in our tribe. I despise Lungao, but he is as skilled a warrior as I've ever seen. I'll be safe with them protecting us."

Frowning but refraining from comment, Drisden thought how small and weak all the Impalas were. She knew nothing of the ways of the world if she thought their little spears could protect them from much more than feral dogs. There was no point in scaring her, however, so he said nothing. Goddess, please protect my precious one. I've only just been given her, please don't take her from me. he instead prayed in his head.

* * *

As they neared the village, Drisden dropped down into the tall grasses and disappeared, leaving her to walk alone towards the village. She saw nothing, and heard nothing of him as she walked, and curiosity finally getting the best of her, she softly called out "Dry, are you with me still?"

From the grasses to her right, she heard his gentle voice, no farther than twenty feet from her. "I am here, my precious girl. Fear not."

She smiled, a little nervous, but mostly just impressed. "Wow. I've neither seen nor heard a thing from you since you went into the grass. It is incredible."

A soft chuckle was all she got in response, and she smiled, her tummy feeling warm again, knowing he was hers. Still smiling and feeling wonderful, she walked up to the village gate. Since there were no walls yet, having a gate and guarding it besides was a little pointless, but it was a show of strength to outsiders.

To her distaste, Lungao was on duty. As she neared he gaped at her. "Betrothed! Where in goddess' name have you been? You have no business wandering off without my knowing it! The village is in a panic, and your father is organizing teams to go out and search for your corpse!"

She bristled a little at his words. He always spoke to her as if she was retarded, a strange edge of condescension in his voice that made her feel how little she truly meant to him. Fighting down a sarcastic reply, she instead took a deep breath and spoke. "I was away on important business. Please go fetch my father, I have some important things to discuss with the chief."

Lungao scowled at her. "I am not about to be ordered around by a woman. Menial tasks like fetching people is women's work anyway. Besides, what important business could you possibly have?"

She balled up her fists. She'd taken this kind of abuse from him for long enough, and there was no need to take it anymore. "You pig-headed, rotten, self-important..."

The other guard, Uchen, sensing a scene about to erupt, quickly broke into her building tirade. "I find no dishonor in obeying the request of the chief's daughter. I shall go fetch him, please wait just a moment." He turned and ran full speed for the chief's hut.

Lungao smirked at her. "Once you are mine, little one, we shall have to work on how you use your mouth. It's ever so difficult to get through to you, isn't it? Your father is too soft on you."

The way he said that clearly indicated to her he didn't mean using her mouth for speaking or eating. Seething inside, she slowly snarled through clenched teeth "I am not, nor will I ever be yours. I would sooner die than look at you."

Speaking as if he were addressing a toddler, the arrogant male tossed his magnificent horns and replied "Yes, little dear, we shall have to work on you quite a bit, but I think she can make a decent woman for the chief. You have no say in the matter, your father has made the choice. I think once your belly is fat with my young you shall mellow out a bit and accept your place."

Her fury was so great she was about to leap at him, clawing at his throat, when she fancied she heard the tiniest little noise from the grasses beside her. She imagined it was Drisden trying to calm her down. All they are is words, spoken by a fool, love. Do not waste your energy on him. she imagined him to say, and took a deep breath, forcing her rage back and turning away in disgust.

There wasn't long to wait. within a few seconds, the sounds of a crowd hurriedly approaching grew, and she saw nearly the entire village scampering behind her father, who was half running, looking a mixture of worried and angry. Thinking that he might actually deep down have been worried for his only daughter, she felt a wave of affection for him.

"Crissa!" he called as he neared. "Where have you BEEN? We thought you'd been killed! How DARE you do this!? You had better have a wonderful reason for being gone for nearly a day!"

She nodded. "I do! I have much to tell you!" The crowd drew up and quieted down before she continued. "First and most importantly, I have succeeded in forging a deal that will ensure our tribe's safety from predators! Finally we will no longer have to always be moving and being afraid!"

The crowd murmured at this, looking at each other with wide eyes at this news. Crissa was loved by nearly the whole tribe for she was as sweet as her father was hard. Everyone knew how much she loved the tribe and that she would do anything for them.

Sounding cautious and skeptical, her father slowly replied "What? How is this possible?"

She smiled. "Well, that brings me to my second piece of news. I have met someone. He is the most wonderful male I've ever known. He is loving, gentle, sweet, tender, thoughtful, honest, and pure... All the things some other are not." She glanced at Lungao as she said this. "He is a man like no other, and we have fallen deeply in love with each other."

The pretty Impala paused, letting that sink in, relishing the looks on both her father and Lungao's faces. Shock turned to horror as they realized what this meant. Weakly, the chief said "Does that mean..."

Standing tall and proud, a gust of wind came up, blowing Crissa's beautiful hair and the brightly colored feathers in it, swirling around her face like an exotic goddess herself. Her beauty was amazing, and in that moment, she spoke the words she had been dying to speak since their union. "Yes, I have already taken him as my mate."

Her friends and those whom she was closest to broke out into cheering, whooping, and whistling, which got the whole tribe to join in. She again delighted in seeing her father's ashen face, and the awful Lungao's devastated look. All his prideful boasting and arrogance, all his treatment of her, it was all worth it to see him humiliated like this, especially after what he'd just said.

Her father, however was not interested in making noise or congratulating her. "Quiet! Quiet all of you!" he shouted several times, and when the villagers had gone silent, he turned back to her. "Why did you take a mate without consulting me? Who is this? Where is he? Why is he not at your side if he has indeed mated with you?"

She nodded. "Because I needed to say some things to introduce him before you all meet him. He is a fearsome warrior, and he may frighten those who aren't prepared. I want to tell you all, from the bottom of my heart, that he is gentle, and will not harm ANY of us, not ever. He is strong and big, but he is not a murderer. He would never kill another sentient, and none of us have the least little bit to fear from him. He has promised to protect our village and every last one of us. Your trust in him can be absolute, I swear it upon my life. You can give him your newborn children and he will not harm a hair on their heads. My friends and family, my people, can you trust my words? Can you trust that I speak knowing this to be true, and that you have nothing to fear? Can you please believe me, and believe in me, and know that I am right about this?"

They were all looking at each other, confused by her words. None would guess that she'd mated to a predator, so their confusion was easy to understand. She saw her friends standing on the right side of the crowd, and when they caught her eye, they all silently nodded their approval and acceptance. She bowed to the, smiling in gratitude, then stood tall and regal as she turned her attention to the chief.

She also saw her father lean over and whisper something to Lungao, who still looked stunned. At this, he seemed to regain focus, and nodded to the chief, then turned and hurried off towards the warrior's hut, where all the weapons were stored when not in use. At last her father spoke to her. "Crissa, this makes no sense. We have many powerful warriors in the tribe... no one single male can ensure the absolute safety of our whole tribe. Is his tribe vowing to graft into ours? That is not something you can decide, you realize. I am the chief."

The lovely Impala shook her head, her glistening hair rolling thick and beautiful around her exotic face. "No, it isn't anything like that at all. Again I ask, can you trust me? I have tested his words, and he has proven to me that his promise of friendship is true. Can you trust me that he is a good man, and will love our tribe like we are his own? Please, my people... Please trust me both as the chief's daughter, and as your friend?"

The crowd at last gave rumblings of approval, and she saw many heads nodding. By far, it was a majority. Proud, and feeling she'd succeeded in this, she spoke. "Then I would like you all to meet my love, my mate, the happiness of my life and friend of our tribe, Drisden. Stand up, my prince!"

At this, her big mate rose up out of the grass and stepped forward, smiling and bowing to the crowd. There was a collective gasp from everyone there, and she saw her friends and family's eyes go wide as they beheld the powerful predator stepping close and putting his arm gently around Crissa, who looked tiny next to him. She put her arms around him and leaned her head against his chest, and he nuzzled her head gently. He was glad to see that her strategy had worked well! Crissa was more clever than he'd given her credit for. Her friends began to cautiously approach so they could meet him.

But then it all fell apart. The chief finally came out of his frozen, stunned state and gave a howl. "Predator! Killer! Murderer! Guards! Warriors! To arms!!!" The crowd jumped, seeming more frightened by his loud shouting than by Drisden, but his words seemed to have an effect. Confused now, they began to back away, some turning to run as her father continued to scream for the warriors to come forth. His panic was catching.

"No!" Crissa screamed. "You have nothing to fear! I've trusted him with my life and he has held and cared for me! He has already saved my life once, and I know he will harm none of us!" Unfortunately, her screams only added to the noise and confusion as parents began to shout for their children, and the warriors broke through from where they'd been standing in the crowd. She saw hated Lungao surging forward carrying armloads of weapons. Had that been what her father had sent him to do? With practiced efficiency, the warriors all deployed, fanning out in front of the lion and his lover.

Crissa stamped her dainty hooves. "No, no, no! Listen to me! He will not hurt any of us! Warriors, please stop! Don't hurt him! I love him! I trust him! Can't you believe me???"

If they even heard her over the din her father was making, they apparently were unmoved by her pleas. Still howling, her father suddenly and perhaps in his own mind heroically charged forward, grabbing his daughter and yanking her hard towards the safety behind the warrior's line. She was so startled she didn't start resisting until she was already pulled apart from her mate, and when she then struggled, he simply hung her over his shoulder, running a safe distance away before setting her down and holding her firmly to prevent her from returning to the lion's side.

Then she forgot all about it as her father screamed "Attack him!"

"No! No don't! He's our friend! He won't hurt us!!" She shrieked as loud as she could, but they ignored her, advancing on and trying to surround Drisden. The handsome male was watching all this with a somewhat unreadable expression on his face, but when they started to fan out to surround, he dropped back, refusing to let them encircle him.

Lungao was especially animated, clearly eager to skewer this threat to his perceived ownership of Crissa. She screamed as he lunged with his spear, bringing the sharp point up with expert precision towards the lion's neck. She realized with horror that she was going to watch him be executed. Terror engulfed her and she struggled like a wildcat.

She needn't have worried. With almost casual ease, he grabbed the spear and plucked it right out of Lungao's hands with a twisting motion. He snapped the shaft in half, then snapped the pointed tip off the rest of the shaft and handed the three pieces back to Lungao as calmly as if he were giving him an apple. Clearly shocked, Lungao excepted the remains of his spear, staring at them in his hands with wide eyes.

Crissa stopped struggling against the hands holding her for the moment, giving a sob of relief. Drisden was clearly not intimidated, and apparently not in any danger from her tribe's best warriors. Any who tried to attack had their spears and swords yanked away, bent or broken, and then handed back. Through the shouting and the chaos, Drisden looked to her. "This isn't going to accomplish anything. Do you still want to do your plan?"

She sagged. Yes, obviously nothing would get through to her people at this point. Looking around, she saw most had run and hid in their homes, the few remaining mostly being her friends, though even they were a long way off, watching what was happening with fear in their eyes. Instinct and panic had sapped them all of reason.

The warriors signaled each other and then charged in opposite directions, making a full speed effort to try and surround the male lion. He began to move, turning in quick circles so he could watch them all. He let them circle him, but as they approached, he leapt high into the air and over their heads, snapping several spear shafts that attempted to stick him from below as he sailed past. He landed lightly on his feet, back outside their circle.

It was a stalemate. They could not harm him, but neither would they stop. Feeling hopelessness engulf her, Crissa at last replied to his question. "Yes... do as we discussed." She said it rather softly, yet he heard it over the shouting and general din around him, nodded, eyes meeting hers. He blew her a kiss, then turned and dove into the grass, seeming to melt away from existence.

Suddenly there was silence over the whole village. The warriors were looking at one another, then at their weapons. nearly half of them had been broken or ruined, handed back to them as a clear and obvious testament to how utterly unthreatened by them the lion had been. She could see it sinking into them and spoke into the silence. "You see? He could have killed all of you, but he didn't! He wouldn't, because he would never harm any of us! He wants to be our frie..." at that point, her father punched her in the side of the head so hard it knocked her nearly senseless for several minutes.

The chief shouted "Warriors! You are victorious! Everyone come out! The predator has been driven from our village and taught a lesson it will not soon forget!"

The people quickly emerged from their houses, obviously very curious. As the chief began to cheer, a few automatically began to do the same. Soon the noise was deafening as they cheered and whooped their good fortune, or at least, what the chief was telling them was good fortune. Crissa was so frustrated she began to cry as she picked herself up off the ground where her father's blow had sent her. Could they not see the chief's manipulation? For not the first time in her life, she truly hated and despised her father.

The warriors were still looking at each other in grave confusion, but as the rousing cheer went up, one by one they joined in, rejoicing that their land was safe once more from a deadly threat. Like mindless sheep, her father seemed to program them to believe things his way.

As the cheering died down, she stormed forward. "What are you cheering for?? Are you all fools? Our warriors did nothing to him! He wasn't threatened by them at all! What have we accomplished, exactly? We've driven off a gentle and peaceful male who wanted to help protect us from OUCH!"

Her father grabbed her hair and yanked it back as hard as he could, making her squeal again in pain. "Warriors! Gag her and hold her." he commanded.

One of the village elders, Proximo spoke up. "Chief, is this really necessary? I'm not convinced the lion was an enemy, and your daughter is guilty of no crime..."

The chief snapped at him to be quiet. "This is a family matter, it does not concern you."

Cloth was shoved into her mouth and a rope tied tight around her face, blocking her from talking and painfully opening her mouth wide. Then she was forced to her knees before her father. At last, looking up at him from the ground, she realized that he was seething in a white-hot rage greater than she ever had seen in her life. Her eyes rolled in terror, for she truly believed he was going to kill her.

The chief spoke. It was so silent you could hear a blade of grass growing. "You... You DARED to bring a predator into our village? A vicious killer brought to mere feet from our helpless little ones? You DARE to claim to have mated him???"

"Ughhnnnaaaaa!" She tried to speak, but was unable to do more than make guttural sounds.

He slapped her. "Shut up! Goddess how I wish you had never been born! Know that but for our laws, but for the need for you to mate and thusly elevate your mate to become the next village chief, I would kill you where you stand!" His eyes glowed with hatred and he yanked on her hair. She stared up at him with wide, tear-stained eyes, desperately fearing for her life. Then he slapped her several more times until her velvety nose was bleeding and she was sobbing in fear and pain, drool pouring from her mouth, her tongue aching because it was crushed against the cloth stuffed in her mouth.

When the blows at last ended, she looked up at him through eyes that were already swelling shut from his fists. "Put her in the cage!" he snarled.

"A-aay... lease!" she sobbed, trying to entreat him. Nothing could be more terrifying than what he'd just said. "Nnnn Nnnn!" She wailed as she was dragged to the center of the village, where there was no shade, no rest from the hot sun. She was pushed into the cage, no larger than a two-meter by two-meter prison made of strong wooden bars, and the door was closed and chained behind her. As soon as she was free, she pulled the rope from around her head and pulled the cloth from her mouth. "Daddy, no! Please! No! I'm only trying to help! Please don't do this! He's a friend to us all! I love him!"

He'd already been stomping away, but at that he whirled. "You are going to stay in there until your birthday, and then you are going to be mated to Lungao, if he will still have your filthy, stained soul, defiled by enacting unspeakable wickedness with a male of another species."

Her voice was falsetto and very tiny as she protested. "You can't do that! I'm mated to Drisden! You can't debase our union! No! All I wanted was to help our people! Why can't you trust me?"

Several of the elders stepped forward. "Chief, this is cruel. She hasn't done anything to deserve this. The lion seemed pieceful..." The chief didn't even stop, merely glaring at them as he passed, and then he was gone.

* * *

In her whole life, Crissa had never seen anyone thrown into the cage. She'd more or less thought of it as simply a way to scare young children into obeying. Now she was imprisoned in it herself. The cage was made to torture, to punish extreme evil-doers in the worst way. She would be given no water, no food, and forced to bake in the hot sun. Guards were placed at the door and ordered to utterly ignore her, and let none within throwing distance of the cage.

She didn't even bother trying to plead with the two placed in front of the door. They stood with their backs to her, spears in hand, guarding the door. With nothing to do, she sat down against the wall of the cage that was most parallel to the sun, giving her a modicum of shade. She sat there, eyes glazed, trying to think what she had done wrong, what mistake she could have corrected that would have changed this outcome.

She now desperately regretted telling Drisden to stay away from the village while she was gone. He would now not even realize anything was wrong until six days passed and she did not return. Even then, would he wait longer before coming to find her? Her birthday was in seven days, if he delayed at all, their mating would be defiled by Lungao. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought of the shame of having her body forcibly given to that hateful male. She'd given herself to Drisden, to her true mate, and if Lungao had her even once, she would never again purely belong to the lion.

Drisden. Her heart warmed to think of him in spite of her predicament. What a male he was. He treated her as an equal. He didn't order her to do things, or treat her as his property. It was so wonderful to be with him. He submitted himself just as fervently to her as she tried to do for him.

Then the warmth fled from her as she again thought of Lungao raping her and defiling her bond. She started to cry again, then realized that this was going to be a battle of survival, and every tear she shed was precious water leaving her body. She forced herself to be silent, curling up and shading as much of herself with her own shadow as she possibly could.

Time crawled by. Her friends tried to come and visit her, and were driven off by the guards. They weren't even allowed to stand at a distance and speak to her. They shouted to her that they would try to talk to the chief, but she didn't have any hope that they would succeed in changing her pig-headed father's mind.

Gusts of wind blew sand into her eyes and nose, making them both water. Realizing again she was wasting life with this, she closed her eyes and shielded her nose with the cloth that had been stuffed in her mouth. Night time was a great relief from the sun, but now her thirst was beginning. Long ago seemed this morning, when she'd drunk from the pool they'd slept beside. She wished that she'd drunk much more than she had, and lusted for the cold, pure water.

After all day sweltering in the sun, nighttime felt cold. She curled into a ball and managed to doze, dreaming about being with Drisden and being filled with peace and joy. When she woke up and remembered her predicament, she again was fighting back tears.

* * *

The next day was far, far worse. As the heat of the day reached its peak, her throat and mouth were becoming so dry she couldn't even swallow. An even greater fear arose within her than Lungao; she realized she was not going to live six days like this. It stood to reason that if none had ever in her lifetime been thrown in the cage, little was known about it, and her father was probably not even aware of how dangerous and deadly this could be.

She tried then to plead with the guards, begging them to get her father so she could talk to him, but they studiously ignored her, backs to her so they couldn't even see her. They wouldn't even realize it if she collapse and died, they were so dead set on facing away from her and ignoring her. Again she gave up and simply curled into a ball, trying to conserve energy and water as much as she could.

* * *

She didn't sleep that night, merely sat there shivering as if her body was going into shock. The next day her thirst was so great she knew she would not last another two days, let alone four or five. Her mouth was completely dry and her tongue swollen, and she could barely talk as she croaked to the two most recent guards, pleading with them and telling them she was dying. She looked longingly at their canteens, which they drank from liberally through the day. Her body burned and felt as if she was overheating in the hot sun.

Goddess, please comfort Drisden. Please let him know that it wasn't his fault. Thank you for letting me meet him, and letting me experience true love and happiness for a day. she prayed. I can die with no regrets, save that I fear he will blame himself. Please watch over him, goddess.

After praying she began to drift in and out of consciousness, hallucinations clouding her mind, and the only constant the burning, shrieking need for water that cried out from every cell in her body. When she was not hallucinating, she forced herself to think only of Drisden.

* * *

A new day brought the hot sun, but she was hardly feeling anything anymore. Simply, she felt nauseated and viciously thirsty. Her body felt numb. She knew she would be dead by sundown, and floated in and out of consciousness.

Suddenly, for some reason, she sprang awake. At first she thought perhaps it was because Drisden was coming. She looked around, suddenly alert, able to tell that something was very wrong. Her nose twitched as she smelled the air. Both guards felt it too, and had their spears up and ready, looking around quickly. Those villagers she could see had all stopped in their tracks and were looking around.

Then she saw movement out of the corner of her eye and turned her head to look at the grass. It was moving. Something was approaching. Drisden! It had to be! The movement continued.

Then her elation evaporated. There was movement to her right as well... and to her left. She realized the grass all around the village was rippling at the passage of some unseen creatures. Then, abruptly, all movement stopped. Everyone, including Crissa, watched the grass in alarm and fear. Minutes ticked by, but there was nothing. The world around them seemed to continue as if nothing had happened, but still they all held their breath and watched.

After over ten minutes, the village relaxed and everyone gave a collective sigh. It had been nothing. They all began to return to their daily activities.

Suddenly there was a soft but unmistakable giggle from the grasses to Crissa's left. She weakly turned and looked. At once, a mass of monstrous horrors exploded from the grasses, pouring into the village. Giggles sounded all around them. It was a massive pack of enormous feral hyenas, as big or bigger than the giant Drisden had killed to rescue Crissa.

In a split second, all was chaos. Impalas everywhere were bleating in fear and running for their homes. Five of the beasts charged the two guards outside her cage. They tried to fend them off, managing to skewer one, but the others leapt over the top and were on them, tearing their throats out and killing them mid-scream. The smelly predators were feasting upon them before they were even dead.

Two of the attackers turned to her and leapt at the cage, smashing into the bars. They began to pace around it, testing the strength here and there, biting at the wood, but were unable to get in to the helpless female trapped inside. With some irony she realized that this cage, supposed to be her tomb, was going to actually save her life. But she was going to be safe in here, forced to watch these beasts kill everyone she ever knew and loved.

The village warriors scrambled to arms and tried to resist and fight, but seemed destined to meet with the same fate as her guards. She watched as sheer force of numbers of hyenas threatened to overrun them. The feral predators seemed to focus their attacks on the warriors first, ignoring the children and helpless, focusing on slaughtering all those who would try to resist them. There had to be fifty of them, the largest pack she'd ever heard of in her whole life. They were in a life and death struggle with the warriors, who'd formed a circle, spears facing out..

* * *

Drisden again found himself miserable. Now, at least, it was not because he feared he would never win her heart, but instead because he missed her terribly and could not wait for her to return to him. He prayed often to the goddess, for her safety and wisdom. She'd done far better than he would have thought. He was pretty sure the village would have accepted him, had it not been for her father. He disliked his new father-in-law intensely.

He tried to stay at home and wait for her, but staring blankly at the walls was maddening and soon completely intolerable. He got up and wandered out into the prairie, never too far from home, but a welcome change of pace. As he walked, he tried to think of what he himself might do to win the hearts of her people. Unfortunately, with her father there, he realized he may just have to settle for guarding them from far off, and hope in time they would accept him.

He understood why she'd asked him to keep away from the village, but it was driving him insane. In fact, his thoughts were in such turmoil, he didn't even realize his aimless wandering had happened upon a wide swath of grass that was stamped down, evidence of many creatures passing by. Slowly it registered, and suddenly he blinked, gazing at what he saw before him.

The grass was smashed down, and he barely even needed to kneel and look closely to see hyena tracks, very fresh indeed. Suddenly his heart was frozen in his chest. No... the pack he'd warned Crissa about... In all the craziness of the last several days, he'd forgotten completely about them. Fearing the worst, he raised his head and looked where the tracks were going. They were headed straight towards the Impala village.

* * *

Crissa was sobbing hysterically, watching the nightmare unfolding. All the people had run into their homes and attempted to barricade the doors. The village was not finished yet, and many of them were still living in temporary grass huts or even tents. The well-trained warriors were still formed in a circle with spears facing out, but were surrounded by a mass of hyenas. It seemed hopeless, and the hyenas were leaping in and biting, then diving back out of range of the spears. Several of the warriors were already down, wounded, in the middle of the circle, protected by their brothers.

As the warriors were surrounded and fighting for their lives, an increasing number of the monsters were turning their attention to the vulnerable huts, pacing around them and searching for weaknesses. They began to dig, sharp, strong claws shredding through the grass and bringing them ever closer to the helpless families inside.

All was lost... she sobbed, crawling towards the door of the cage. BANG!!! The biggest Hyena she'd yet seen slammed into the bars from the side closest to her, trying to jam its head between them, snapping its jaws at her so close she could smell its horrible carnivore breath- nothing like Drisden's sweet-tasting mouth. It pulled back and clawed at the bars, then gave a yelp which brought seven more of the beasts. They all began to claw at the cage. The pretty Impala sobbed in mindless fear.

Then, when it seemed that the world was at an end, there was a mighty, earth-shaking roar from the north, towards the direction of Drisden's home. Hope soared in her heart. He was coming!

Like a golden-furred missile, Drisden exploded over the ridge, charging on all fours straight towards the village. Like an avenging angel, he dove into the mass of hyenas, massive claws extended, snarling at the top of his lungs. She cried out in joy to see him. Then he was upon the beasts, and blood was flying everywhere.

The lion was moving so fast he was a blur, which looked amazing, considering his size. With one swipe, he tore the throat out of one of the animals as it clawed at a hut, unaware it was even being hunted. Before it even fell, he was charging two more. They turned to face him, dropping low, but he was an impossible force to resist. He slashed at them with incredible speed, clawing, tearing, slashing, mutilating their faces. When they were blind, he was on them, tearing out the throat of one while he bit the head clean off the other.

The warriors and others who'd been trying to resist watched in shock as their rescuer flew like a beast possessed from hyena to hyena. Soon the air was filled with the howls and squeals of the beasts; the hunters were now the hunted. Drisden showed no mercy as he attacked, indiscriminately tearing them to pieces.

The massive female who'd been directing the attack on Crissa's cage gave several short barks, and the seven others with her turned, and all of them charged Drisden from the back as he disemboweled a howling male, saving a little Impala girl it had been dragging out of the hut it had clawed through. The child, bleating in fear, scrambled back through the hole into her parent's arms.

Crissa tried to scream to Drisden, to warn him of the sneak attack, but her voice was too weak to be heard over the din. Her elation turned to horror as the leader and her minions ran straight towards him.

Somehow, in some way, he knew they were coming, and as all eight of them leapt for his back, he sprang straight up into the air, catching the roof of a hut with one mighty paw and vaulting up onto it. He did not waist time on the relative safety of the top of the hut, though; He turned and dove onto the backs of the eight as they tried to skid to a halt and turn to face him. His jaws clamped onto the back of the neck of one, and with a sickening crunch he tore its spine right out of its back.

He didn't even slow down, brandishing his claws as he dove upon two more of them, their howls soon mixing as he gutted them both. The big female watched, and again when his back was turned she dove for him. Her jaws managed to find his shoulder, thought she didn't get a good grip, she still tore a gash in him that immediately began to leak blood. The lion roared in fury and spun, his limber feline body letting him twist himself practically in half he turned so quickly. He brought both paws down, claws fully extended, right across her face. She shied back, a move which saved her somewhat. several of his claws raked the side of her face, tearing her eye out and opening a gash straight through her cheek into her mouth.

The massive female howled in pain and fear, turning tail and running. Immediately, all the rest of the pack turned tail and ran after her, yelping in terror from the predator that was tearing them apart. Drisden pressed them, giving chase and slaughtering two more before the rest were lost in the grass. Finally, he turned and ran back into the village. "Everyone! Tell me if you see any living hyenas! Quickly, I'll kill them!" He roared.

One of the warriors limped towards him, nursing a broken arm. "I think they all ran; any that are left are either dead or dying."

He didn't even pause, turning from him and shouting "Crissa!!! My love! Goddess, please be alright! Crissa!??! Where are you??"

As the attackers had fled, the last of his mate's strength had failed her and she'd collapsed into a heap on the cage floor. His voice wakened her from her stupor, and she tried to call back, managing only a weak croak. Impalas were now sticking their heads out of their homes, many relatives of the warriors running out to see if any of the wounded could be saved. Through the noise, somehow, he heard her weak groan and spun around, facing the cage.

Drisden stared at the prison cell, trying to fathom what the Impalas would have this for. Then a brown lump inside weakly moved, and his sharp eyes focused and immediately recognized the lovely, long brown hair of his mate. "What in the blackest hells???" He snarled, breaking into a run. He skidded to a halt in front of the cage, dropping to his knees. "Crissa? Crissa, what in the goddess' name are you doing in there?"

Several dozen villagers had followed him to the cage and were now standing and watching. Abigail, one of Crissa's friends, spoke up. "Her father put her in there as punishment for bringing you into the village. Nobody could stop him. She hasn't had water or food since you left."

Drisden gaped at the Impala who'd spoken, his face contorting into a look of rage. "You. Bring her father here, right now." he ordered to one of the warriors who'd joined the crowd around the cage. The Impala nodded and ran off in silence.

The lion grabbed the rope that was holding the door, saw it was stout, and instead grabbed some of the bars of the cage, muscles flexing as he strained. With a popping crack, the cage burst apart under his might, and he threw the pieces he was now gripping away, diving to his love's side, lifting her head carefully into his lap. She looked feverish, eyes yellowed and glassy as she tried to focus on his worried face above her.

"Water... please... water..." the dying female croaked.

Drisden looked up. "Get me water for her! For goddess' sake, get me water! She smells of death!" Not even waiting, he began to feed her his drool.

Almost immediately Abigail ran up from one of the nearby huts and knelt beside him, apparently having anticipated this. She held a big pitcher filled with fresh water. He grabbed it from her and carefully, tenderly started trickling water into his mate's cracked, dried lips. Her eyes traveled from his tongue feeding her saliva, and she began greedily lapping at the gentle trickle of life-giving water.

The warrior he'd sent to fetch her father returned, holding the arm of the old chief, who was struggling against him somewhat. Drisden barely glanced up at him, but his look was one of pure hatred. "YOU! How could you do this to your own daughter!? She's nearly dead!"

The older male looked down at the two of them. Drisden was covered with the blood of many Hyenas, his own gashed shoulder staining his fur red, kneeling and tenderly holding Crissa's limp form. Shock and horror was evident on his face. "What... why... I didn't know she was this bad. It was an accident..."

Drisden bared his teeth and snarled, then with effort brought himself under control and spoke. "Will someone please tell me more of what happened that she was in that thing to begin with?" he growled, eyes training on the female who'd brought him water.

Abigail looked frightened, but having helped him, she was now in his focus. "L...Like I said, after you left, her father threw her in there as punishment, saying she'd stay there until her birthday in a week's time, after which she would be given to Lungao as mate. She begged for mercy... nobody's ever been thrown in the cage before, it's always just been for show... but he wouldn't listen. The elders were all angry at him, and we... that is, her friends and I tried to convince him to put a stop to it, but he would not."

The lion was keeping himself under control with sheer force of will, not wanting to terrify the little Impalas who were surrounding him. It seemed as if most of them were now here, watching. "She was dying in there! Why did no one put a stop to this torture?"

Swallowing, Abigail replied "By order of the chief, none were to look upon her. The guards stood with their backs to her and wouldn't let any of us close. A couple of us tried to sneak her water in the night, but they caught us and drove us off."

Crissa was now regaining awareness, still eagerly drinking at the steady trickle of water Drisden was feeding her. She did not remember any such thing, but then again she'd spent most of the nights unconscious or delirious. She trusted her friend was telling the truth. Being held by her lover had never felt more wonderful. At last she was safe.

Still working to remain patient, Drisden turned to her father. "So, you put her in here and then didn't even have the basic common decency to make sure that your own daughter was not dying from your torture? What kind of monster are you?"

Having overcome his shock at seeing his daughter nearly dead, the old chief was now drawing himself up and trying to belittle his deplorable act. "She wasn't that bad. You are exaggerating the situation for your own gain, monster."

Drisden looked up at him, and the chief shivered in fear to be stared at by the golden, intense eyes of the apex predator. "What is your name, little chief?" He rumbled softly.

"I am Crissus the third, and long has our family ruled over this people. You are addressing nobility, so do not presume to be so disrespectful."

Not looking the least bit impressed or intimidated, Drisden simply said "Alright, Crissus. Then know this. If your daughter dies because of what you have done, you will die as well." As the words sunk in, the chief backed up, eyes wide. He looked around for support from his people, but they were all nodding and seemed to think this was just.

Crissa looked up at him with such love and gratefulness in her eyes... He adjusted his position to better shade her with his body, still holding her head in his lap and giving her water, which she was still greedily gulping down. "More..." she said.

Tenderly stroking her pretty face with his free hand, the lion softly spoke. "You can't have too much too fast or you will get sick and lose it all. Just be patient, you'll have all the water you want, now, we must just give it slowly."

The chief was now seething within himself at having been slighted, then threatened by the predator. "My people! We must attack this predator beast at once! Warriors, gather your weapons!"

Nobody moved. One of the elder spoke up from the back of the crowd. "He just saved every last one of our lives. Are you mad?"

Defiance seemed to simply anger the chief all the more. "How dare you speak to me like that? You are hereby removed from the elder council!" He turned to address the others. "Listen to me, I know what's best! He is simply playing tricks. The only reason he saved us from the Hyenas is because he wants to eat us all himself! Now warriors, I gave you a direct order to attack!"

There was silence for a moment, then one of the mothers of the tribe spoke up. "You don't have the authority to remove anyone from the elder council. That is for the tribe as a whole to decide."

"Banished!" Crissus screamed. "You are hereby banished from the tribe, you stupid woman! Leave this minute!" Fury seemed to just grow inside Crissus the more he was ignored. It seemed like he could sense the people's anger with him and was panicking because of it. Murmers of disapproval echoed through the mutinous people, growing ever louder.

Lungao came puffing up to the chief, spear in hand. He snapped to attention. A show of loyalty, even if just from one subject, seemed to calm the chief. Looking down to see Drisden was still occupied with trickling water to his mate, he stepped over to Lungao's side.

Softly, the chief whispered into Lungao's ear. "Do you still want the tribe?" The young male nodded. "Then drive your spear through that abomination's heart. Throw all of your anger at Crissa's betrayal into it and make sure he dies. Do this and you shall be made chief tonight, I swear it."

Lungao shuddered. He'd seen the lion fighting, tearing through waves of hyenas, ripping them to pieces as they ineffectually fought back. He jealously hated the male, but he also had a healthy fear of him. He hesitated while trying to decide what to do.

Obviously thinking his orders were being disobeyed yet again, the chief gave a frustrated snarl. He grabbed the spear from Lungao's hand and stabbed clumsily at Drisden as he focused on his little mate.

Crissa was already looking worlds better. Her eyes had a healthy glow to them now, and she no longer looked delirious. She was smiling and looking up into her beautiful mate's face, joyous to be back in his arms. Suddenly, his eyes bugged out and he gave a snarl of pain, leaping up and spinning around. The move shocked her until he turned, then she saw the spear her father had just stuck into his already bleeding shoulder as it was wrenched from the older male's paw.

When the spear was wrenched out of his hands, her father stared in shock and fear at the lion as he yanked the spear back out and snapped it into pieces as if it were a twig. Holding just the point, the big predator advanced on the now shaking little male Impala. No one knew what he was going to do to the chief, but none of them tried to stop him or interfere.

From behind Drisden, he heard his mate's weakened voice. "Dry, don't kill him... please... he's awful, but he is my Daddy." The male lion stopped at this, glaring at the chief. Relief flooded the older male's eyes and he started to turn and run.

Like a flash, Drisden swung a right hook that slammed into his father-in-law's jaw, lifting him into the air a foot with the force of the blow. He collapsed on the ground, unconscious. Spitting contemptuously on the limp figure laying in the dirt, her love turned and knelt, resuming his gentle nursing of his mate.

As he tried to start drizzling water down her throat again, she turned away a bit. "Wait, you're injured! You've got to get aid!"

"I've got nothing here to treat it with, so it will have to wait for now, sweetling." he tenderly rumbled to her.

Abigail spoke up at that. "Oh no it won't! I'll go get some bandages and water and we'll clean it and stitch it up for you, sir."

He looked at her kindly. "That is very sweet of you. And please, my friends call me Drisden or Dry. Thank you very much..."

"Abigail." the Impala finished, smiling and curtsying to him. He bowed his head and turned back to his mate.

Several of the elders had been conferring amongst each other, and now Rishnok, the most esteemed of them, stepped forward. "Please do not let our chieftain's deplorable actions color your opinion of our whole tribe. These last few days have been appalling and the elders are most upset over all that has happened. We would like to offer you friendship, husband of the chief's daughter."

Drisden adjusted Crissa's body, pulling her into his lap and getting her more comfortable. When the elders finished speaking, he looked up at them. "I only ever wanted friendship and kinship with your people, venerable one."

Rishnok turned to several of the young males. "Please go and get a shade awning for them so they can rest out of the hot sun. Crissa needs to cool off, I should think." The males nodded and ran off, returning a few moments later with a cloth awning stretched between four poles, which they drove into the sandy soil. The shade was a welcome relief for both Crissa and Drisden.

Abigail returned with several other of the young women, carrying supplies to clean and tend to the wounded lion. The pretty females gathered around him and hesitantly began to wash off the hyena blood that soaked his front, while Abigail carefully washed and disinfected the bite and spear cut with alcohol. She took out a needle and thread and began to sew up the gashes. She saw the Lion's muscles tense at the pain of the needle, but he said nothing, focusing on Crissa.

The tribe was all talking softly amongst themselves. Several of them coming and going on tasks set for them by family or the elders. One boy returned and addressed the council. "Three warriors are dead and twelve are wounded but should survive."

Rishnok spoke again to the predator. "We elders need to go and attend to the families of the dead. Drisden, thank you for saving us. I have no doubt we would all be dead by now if it weren't for you. After the way the chief treated you, you certainly had no reason to want to help us, but praise the goddess you forgave us and returned."

"Think nothing of it. I would not let innocent sentients be killed if it is within my power to save them. You are my wife's people, so all the more would I look to protect you all. I am sorry I didn't arrive sooner, I could have saved those we lost today had I not been forced to leave by your chief."

Rishnok bowed and sighed. "Many deplorable things were done these last few days. We shall do something about it all, I think." As the elders moved off to comfort the bereaved families, the pretty young females crowded around Drisden were finishing washing him, and he looked much better now that he was no longer covered in gore. Gretta introduced herself to him, and the perfect gentleman he was he kissed her hand, then the hands of each of the women who'd helped him. To Abigail he gave a hug, thanking her again for her help.

When he'd settle back down and taken his mate in his arms to continue giving her water, Gretta spoke up, a naughty grin on her face. "So, Crissa... are you still going to claim that nothing happened when you were chased and captured by a lion?"

Crissa laughed, sounding very much more like her old self. "Yes, I suppose I owe you an apology, for I didn't tell the whole truth, did I? But I wasn't lying when I said I was re-evaluating my life and didn't know what to make of what had happened..."

Gretta in the lead, all of her friends sat down around the two lovers, forming a circle of eager young women looking excitedly at Crissa and the big, imposing but gentle lion who was apparently her mate. She spoke, excitement clearly in her voice. "So now you simply have to come clean and tell us all about what happened!"

Crissa sat up and leaned against Drisden, relaxing back against him. He wrapped his strong arms around her, holding her tenderly. She paused in her story frequently to drink more water, but told them all about her first encounter with her mate. "I feel ashamed of how afraid I was of him at first. He's so sweet, I know I hurt him when I ran..."

Kissing the top of her head, her mate gently murmured "I understood why, love. I always understood why, I just wanted to find a way to prove myself to you."

Turning her head to return the smooch on his neck, she continued "Anyway, as soon as I'd run away I started regretting it. Especially when he gave me his necklace."

Eagerly, her friends asked about that as well, and she told them of it appearing on her pillow. They all peered at the necklace, and she removed it so they could see it closely. As she'd figured, they were all in awe of it and just a bit jealous. When she returned it to her neck, she no longer stuffed it down her halter top, but wore it out where it was clearly visible, sparkling in the sun.

Having drunk an amazing amount of water, she was now beginning to nod off, having not slept well for days. Her words were slurred when she spoke, she was so tired. Several elders had returned and were listening in, watching Drisden silently, seeming to gauge him. When the chief awoke, he was helped up and escorted away by several warriors. Though he glared at them, he said nothing and did as he was told. It was evident that he realized he'd lost this battle.

As Crissa continued to nod off, trying to stay awake so she could talk with her friends, Rishnok spoke up. "Excuse me, but it looks as if your mate is exhausted from her ordeal. We've sequestered Crissus in a separate hut while we deliberate on what to do. You would be welcome to take over the chief's hut and use it as a hospital while you nurse her back to health."

Drisden bowed his head and smiled at the old Impala. "That is very generous and kind of you. Thank you very much." He turned to the circle of pretty females gathered around them. "I'm sorry to have to end this, but Crissa had a very close call and I can tell she is exhausted. She can continue telling you about what happened once she is back to full health."

Gretta bowed back at him. "You are right. I'm sorry, we are letting our curiosity get in the way of your mate's health. We shall talk later. 'Bye, Crissa..."

"Bye!" She managed with a little enthusiasm despite her exhaustion. Her mate picked her effortlessly up, carrying her and following the elders as they led him to the chief's hut. Inside the darkened, cool hut, Crissa gave a sigh. "Finally out of the awful sun!"

Setting her down on her bed, the lion chuckled. "Yes. Rest easy, little one. You've had a close brush with death, but it is over now. What you need most of all is sleep."

She looked up at him. "You'll stay with me, won't you?"

With an edge in his voice that emphasized his conviction, he replied "After what happened, I'm not going to let you out of my sight. Don't worry about that. I haven't slept well without you anyway, so I could use a good nap too." They snuggled up together, and Crissa was asleep before he could even say goodnight.

* * *

For the next several days, Drisden babied his mate, insisting she stay in bed and rest, bringing her water and food and doting upon her so much it made her blush. She perked up and by the second day seemed to have made a complete recovery, but he still insisted she take it easy. Her friends visited them often, and Rishnok and different elders came multiple times a day to check up on them. They all seemed to want to just observe the couple in silence, which Drisden found rather creepy. This time, however, after watching him interact with his mate and her friends for some time, one of them spoke up. "Master lion, could we please have a word with you in private?"

In the middle of pulling his hair back to tie into a pony tail, Drisden paused, clearly not happy with the thought as he looked at his lounging mate. "I swear she will not be harmed or bothered while you are gone. I'll place some guards at the door if you wish it." the elder added, seeing his glance.

Still he hesitated. Crissa smiled at him encouragingly and brightly said "I'll be fine, Abigail and Gretta are here, so if I need anything they can help."

He nodded reluctantly, gently speaking to the other women. "Please care for her while I am gone."

Abigail in particular had taken a liking to the lion, especially after he'd hugged her for her help in the rescue from the cage. "I will like she'd my own sister. Don't worry."

It was the first time Crissa had been alone with her friends since the ordeal, and without Drisden there, both women eagerly leaned forward and softly spoke. "You really, seriously have mated with him? This isn't just a ruse to get out of marrying Lungao? You can tell us, we won't reveal it to anyone..."

Having somewhat expected this sort of question, the chief's daughter gently shook her head. "No, we really did mate. I should have thought our love would be obvious to you, that you would know it's no lie."

Cautiously, Gretta whispered "I can't believe it's even possible! I mean... he's so different from us... physically..."

Though she wouldn't tolerate this conversation with anyone else, with her two closest friends she was willing to satisfy their curiosity a little. "Oh, it's possible all right... Not only is it possible, it's incredibly pleasurable as well. I love being intimate with him very much."

Glancing again at each other, this time Abigail spoke up. "But he's so big and strong, and aren't felines violent when they mate? I'd be afraid he would accidentally kill me in his passion."

Crissa shook her head. "Maybe feral lions are, but he is not. He was incredibly gentle and careful with me from the start. He didn't mate just to please himself, his greatest concern was that I feel pleasure as well. He took incredible care of me and made my first time magical. We orgasmed in unison!" She paused, then added "I shouldn't have said that. Sorry..."

Both her friends had stars sparkling in their eyes as they imagined all of this, not seeming to mind her overly intimate description. "It's so romantic..." Gretta sighed. "Love crossing even the boundaries of species and capturing two hearts in an unbreakable bond."

Giggling, Crissa said "That's a nice way of putting it. I thought so too!"

"Does he have any brothers?" Gretta chirped, and all three laughed. When they calmed down, she added "I'm kidding, but seriously, I'm soooo glad for you, Cree. I never understood your resistance to some of the boys in the tribe, but if this is where your heart is happy, then I couldn't be happier for you. He seems like a wonderful male, besides... so polite and soft-spoken..."

"Thanks Gretta. That means a lot to hear you say that. I'm still not sure how the rest of the tribe is taking this, so I'm a little worried."

Abigail shook her head. "If you love him, then that is enough. What the tribe thinks or says is not as important as the two of you being together and being happy. Besides, after what he did, saving our lives, the feeling I get from everyone is that they all are incredibly happy he is here and feel he's a hero and friend to us."

Just then Drisden opened the door and entered interrupting the conversation. Guessing they would want to talk about Drisden's meeting with the elders, the two female Impalas excused themselves and left the newly mated couple alone together.

When they'd gone, Crissa asked "What did the elders want of you?"

The beautiful male frowned. "I'm... not entirely sure. They just asked me about my past. Things like how old I am, where my pride is, if I've mated before, and all about my parents for some reason. Then they just thanked me and left without a word of explanation." Interrupting the conversation for a moment, he added "Lie down and I'll give you a massage, sweetling."

Crissa removed her top and happily complied, moaning in pleasure as his strong but gentle hands worked her muscles loose, relaxing her and making her feel wonderful. After a moment of working in silence, Drisden returned to the topic of the elders. "Any idea what they were asking all that for?"

She didn't sound worried when she replied "Oh, I think they're just satisfying in their minds what you and I already know and have told them; that you aren't going to hurt us even though you are a predator. They have to overcome their instinctive fear of you just like I did."

The lion sighed. "Of course that makes sense. I wish I could do something to take their fear away. It really bothers me to know that any would think I would harm them. The thought of hurting innocent people like yours is as abhorrent to me as it is to you."

"I know." the sexy impala replied softly. "Just give it time, and they'll trust you completely without question, just like I do. I think they already know in their heads you won't hurt them, they just have to get it through their hearts and instincts."

The door slowly, stealthily opened a crack. Crissa didn't notice, but of course Drisden instantly heard it and glanced out of the corner of his eye. Two little impala children were peeking in at him with wide eyes, trying to hide behind the doorframe. He spoke softly, having already found the impalas shied away from loud noises. "You can come in if you would like!" He smiled at them and waved.

Hearing him speak, Crissa turned her head and saw them too. "Yes, come in! Would you like to meet the lion?" The two little faces peeking through the crack disappeared, but the door didn't close, so they were obviously still there. The feline could hear them whispering to each other, probably trying to decide if they should brave coming in.

Crissa had taken her top off so her mate could massage her better, and she now sat up, her back to the door, and leaned against her mate. Knowing what she wanted, he already had her top ready and helped her slip it on, kissing her neck softly. Clothed, she carefully stood up and stepped to the door. Drisden stared lustily at her long legs, sexy hooves, and graceful movements. Such a beautiful female body... he wanted her so badly, but they never seemed to have enough privacy at the moment.

Unaware of her mate's lustful gaze, Crissa opened the door to see who it was. "Hamutal! Cherry! Don't you want to come in and meet Drisden?" She said, grinning at them. She loved children, and considered these two to be her friends. They stared up at her with wide eyes, now seeming a little bit mistrusting of her simply because of her affiliation with a predator. "It's OK, he'd like to meet you both. I promise you he's very gentle and kind." They peered past her at the lion, sitting cross-legged on the floor by her bed. He again smiled and waved at them.

Cherry, the more bold of the two took a deep breath and stepped forward, her whole body trembling a little bit. Hamutal was more timid, but she drew strength from her friend's boldness and quaveringly stepped inside as well. Crissa quietly closed the door and watched what would happen. "Drisden, this is Cherry and Hamutal, two of the sweetest, smartest little girls in the whole tribe."

"I'm very pleased to meet you both, let's be friends!" the lion purred. He held out his powerfully-muscled arms to them. "Would you like to come touch me?"

They both very much did, creeping forward and gingerly touching his outstretched paws and arms. Cherry was the first to speak, her voice hushed in awe. "His fur is so much softer than ours! I thought he'd be hard and prickly!"

Hamutal nodded. She touched his big hands, feeling the silky pads. She'd been rescued by him, and had watched through the hole in their house as his huge claws had torn apart the hyena that was dragging her out to eat her. But where were his claws now? There were little sharp points on the ends of his fingers, but nothing like what he'd had that day. Curious, she blurted it out. "Where are your big claws? Did you take them off?"

The lion chuckled, eyes twinkling. "I can retract them when I'm not using them. Would you like to see them?" She nodded. "Sure you won't be too scared?" he cooed in a playfully-dramatic voice that made her giggle.

"Lemme see!" She said, feeling more at ease with him all the time. The lion tensed his fingers and the massive, one inch or more of sharp, deadly predator claws slid out of the sheaths. She stepped back, eyes wide.

He smiled. "Don't be scared, I won't ever use them on a friend, only on bad people and bad animals like those hyenas."

Stepping close again, she reached out and touched the claws. They were as sharp as her mother's needles, and were amazing. He told her little snippets of fact about his claws while she touched them, and after a minute or two Cherry got up the courage to step forward as well and touch and examine the predator claws.

Once the girls were over their shyness and fear, Hamutal stood up as tall as her tiny body would allow and bowed, saying, "Thank you very much for saving me from the Hyena that was dragging me out of my house."

The big lion blinked, then exclaimed "Oh! I remember saving a little girl from being dragged out. Everything was moving so fast I didn't see who she was. That was you?" The little Impala nodded gravely. "Well you are very welcome, Hamutal." He took a breath to say more, but suddenly the little rusty red-furred girl dove on him, hugging his neck in her tiny arms. Shocked, he gave a soft coo and held her gently. Cherry then stepped forward and made it a three-way hug.

Looking up over their heads, Drisden could see his beautiful mate smiling proudly at him, and he smiled back. The more he was getting to know her people, the more he was loving them. His desire to protect these little ones was strong as steel.

When they pulled back from the hug, he grinned at them. "Would you like to hear a story of something that happened to me when I was about your age?"

"Yeah!" they both chorused, sitting down one on each of his legs. He kept them both captivated with his story, for that matter, Crissa was enthralled as well. About half-way through the part of the story he'd decided to tell today, a group of elders came in to visit. He saw their eyes widen in fear at first to see their little ones so close to the predator, but they calmed down as they saw him interacting perfectly safely and carefully with the children. In fact, seeing him like this did more to overcome their fear of him than anything else he'd done.

Soon, the elders were listening eagerly to the story also, as he detailed getting separated from his mother and the pride, having to learn to live on his own as he searched frantically for them, still a scared little child. A few minutes after the elders had calmed their fears and gotten wrapped up in the story, the girl's mothers could be heard calling them from outside. One of the elders poked his head out and called them over, letting them know what was happening.

Both women hurried in, gaping in shock and fear to see their daughters sitting in the predator's lap. Both girls saw their mommies and waved, excitedly telling them about their new best friend, Drisden as they cautiously approached through the growing crowd. Once again, they soon had overcome their fear and were listening with rapt attention to the lion's dramatic and animated story-telling.

By the time he ended his tale on a cliff-hanger, his younger self fleeing from a rabid bear, half the village was crowded into the chief's hut listening. There was a collective groan as he ended. "We'll have to continue the story tomorrow, sweethearts." he told the disappointed girls. "I can see all this excitement is a bit much for my love, so she needs to rest now."

The crowd dispersed, many coming forward and introducing themselves, shaking Drisden's paw, thanking him for his heroism... it was the first time since the hyena attack he'd been able to interact with any of them, so they were eager to show their gratitude. When at last he and his mate were alone, he helped her snuggle back in her bed, hugging her close. She looked up at him with her beautiful brown eyes and softly said "Did all of that really happen, or are you making it up?"

He gently chuckled, stroking her beautiful hair, exploring the feathers weaved into it. "Every word is true. I have lots of make-believe stories I can tell as well, but I'll never try to pass them off as truth. No, this really did happen, and though it sounds like a grand adventure now, at the time it was the most traumatic thing that ever happened to me."

That made Crissa feel a little guilty, deriving entertainment from the woes of a lost child. "I'm sorry..." she mumbled.

He laughed. "Oh, don't be. I'm telling it because it worked out in the end, I learned a lot and grew up a lot, and I wouldn't relate it if I didn't look back on it fondly today. Just because it was traumatic then doesn't mean it is anymore today. Now I think it's a rather exciting story to relate to young children, because there is a lot they can learn from it."

She smiled, cheered up by his words. They snuggled for a bit, then she softly added, "None will fear you after that. You won all their hearts, my love."

He kissed her lips gently then whispered "I am glad. Rest easy in my arms, now, Cree."

* * *

A week had passed, and by then in the evenings he was sitting in the village square telling his stories to the whole tribe. They'd all accepted him, and were showering him with more love and gifts than he could cope with. The outflowing of generosity was humbling, especially since these people had been traveling for so many years they had little to give him.

With Crissa fully back to normal, the elders called for a feast to be held in Drisden's honor. They even surprised him and caught some feral meat for him, cooking it with their spices. It was actually quite good. The children were all in love with the lion, and he was surrounded by them for most of the feast. It was also the first time the chief had been released from where they were holding him, and he sat with a guard on either side, a dull, empty expression in his eyes.

When everyone had finished feasting, Rishnok and all the elders stood up, motioning the people to be quiet. When he had everyone's attention, he turned and spoke. "For many years we have struggled, our numbers dwindling. With this hyena attack claiming the lives of several of our warriors, we are even weaker as a tribe than we have ever been before. We can no longer hide from the fact that we are dying, and that we no longer have the strength within us to maintain our way of life unless there is a dramatic change. That is why, for the good of the herd, the elders and I are asking that you, Drisden, as mate of the chief's daughter, become our new chief."

The sound of the bonfire crackling was the only sound to be heard. The lion stared at the old male. "Chief? I am not an Impala..."

Rishnok nodded. "It is unusual, to be certain, but by our laws if a chief has no sons, his eldest daughter's husband shall become the new chief, and that is you. More importantly, however, is how you have shown your love for our people, delighting the children, caring for and loving your mate, and most of all, protecting us and saving every single one of our lives during the hyena attack. You are a good and noble lion, one who we would be honored to follow and trust with our lives and future. We have decided Crissus shall be banished from the position, for if he cannot even love and care for his own daughter, how will he treat the rest of us?" The former chief shifted uncomfortably at these words, but was silent and did not appear surprised. Clearly he'd already been informed this was happening.

Crissa looked up at her mate with wide eyes. She nodded to him encouragingly when he gave her a questioning look, then stood up with him as he took a deep breath and spoke. "My friends, I am honored beyond what I can express that you would consider me, an outsider, worthy of leading your people. Indeed, I have met you all and grown to love you all, and would happily lay my life down to protect and help you."

He hesitated. "I... would gladly take on the title of chief, but I must warn you of one thing in advance; I will work to create equality amongst you. There is great wisdom and knowledge in the hearts and minds of our people's women, and I want the aged and learned among them to be elders, and the young ones who would wish it be allowed to be trained as warriors. I feel that this move is vital, especially since there are few males left who can hold a spear. On that condition, I will accept."

There was immediately the sound of eager female voices and they all turned to each other and talked in excited tones. Crissa was only somewhat surprised by this. Drisden had made it clear from early in their relationship that he despised male domination, and had proven this by the way he treated his mate like an equal in all things, asking her opinion and doing anything she asked of him willingly.

As she looked around, she could tell a few of the males were stunned, a few were nodding, and several looked unhappy. Amongst the women, all were eager at this new and exciting prospect. The row of elders that had been addressing them turned to each other, forming a circle and speaking in low tones with each other.

Drisden knew that the group least likely to be pleased with his words were the males who were in power, since it would mean losing some of that power. Again, however, the nobility and wisdom of his new people surprised him; the elders returned to a line and nodded. Rishnok spoke for them, saying "If that is your desire as chief, then we will accept it."

The lion grinned at him and bowed. "Then I accept your offer to be chief. I will lead to the very best of my abilities, and I will protect you all with my life."

Rishnok and all the elders bowed low to their new chief. "Then it is done! Crissus, for your selfishness and lack of wisdom, for your cruelty towards your own daughter, and for your refusal to heed warnings of advancing predators, we depose your rule as a shame to you. In your place, by decree of the elders, we place Drisden in your stead. All hail chief Drisden!"

"All hail chief Drisden!" The crowd shouted, echoing. Crissa laughed in delight, jumping up so she could throw her arms around his neck.

* * *

Deep in the plains, there is said to be a tribe of Impalas whose numbers grow every year. They are happy and prosperous, treating all as equals. Others even brave leaving their own tribes to join it, and are treated with respect and hospitality, welcomed into the growing village with open arms. The whole tribe is said to be kind and generous to a fault.

They are rumored to have a very unusual chief, a lion who cares for and protects them and teaches them to defend themselves. You might think this is all poppycock, but if you brave the wilderness and travel to their supposed location, you just might find the majestic lion, resting in the low branches of a large tree, his Impala mate with him, smiling happily as they talk. His eyes roam the land for dangers to his people, but he never is too busy for the little ones; his tail hangs from the tree, flicking about while toddlers and little children chase it below on the ground. While this might make you or I very nervous, helpless young yanking on a lion's tail and giggling in delight, their mothers seem perfectly trusting of the predator, this strange chief of a tribe of most-happy Impalas.

The End.