The Leopard Queen - Prologue Part 1

Light filtered through the leaves overhead and dappled the ground beneath Notch’s paws. It was late in the afternoon and the jungle around him was thrumming with signs of life, but the only life he cared about was curled up in their makeshift den, hopefully sleeping, definitely mourning. Lomela might eat if he brought home meat for her, and that was enough to keep him moving, but he knew it wasn’t food that she wanted.

Two days had come and gone since their cub’s heart had gone silent, and Notch had spent every hour since then wondering if there was anything he could have done differently. Neither he nor Lomela would have ever guessed that they had chosen an unsafe shelter, let alone that a large pack of hyenas would be prowling so close to the jungle. The lions had been chased too far, too fast, and it was more than their newborn son could handle.

Notch kept his senses on alert for signs of prey, but his heart wasn’t in it. He didn’t want food either; all he was getting out of this was a way to pretend he was busy.

He was following a faded scent trail when the jungle’s tranquility gave way to a crashing noise, distant at first but rapidly approaching. He frowned and looked up, losing the trail as he listened carefully. Within moments, he saw the foliage before him rustle, and then a leopardess burst into view, leaping from branch to branch to ground at a breakneck pace.

She was clearly unprepared to come face to face with a lion, and staggered backward as soon as she landed, panting heavily and weakened by exhaustion. Nevertheless, she pinned her ears and snarled at Notch without a second’s hesitation. “Get away!”

“I won’t hurt you,” he replied, taken aback.

The leopard’s attention snapped to the sounds of pursuit still coming from behind her, then back to Notch. She crouched for a pounce, heedless of her slender chance at survival if it came to a fight between the two of them. “Get back! I’ll kill you!”

“I can help you,” Notch insisted. “Who are they?”

Almost instantly, the question was answered for him as he caught a strand of cackling laughter amidst the thudding paws that would become visible far too soon. “Hyenas,” he hissed, flexing his claws into the moss. Maybe his hunt today wouldn’t be futile. Maybe it had led him to a chance at revenge. “Let me take care of this.”

“No!” cried the leopard, now sounding more afraid than angry. “Just run!”