Primal Touch

by Amber Jacobs

  “That’s pretty cool. You know, you’ve got half the people out there thinking you’re some kind of vigilante ghost. I’ll bet the poachers are terrified.”

  “They are, and with good reason.”

  Ashley joined Leandra at the cave entrance, and they watched in companionable silence as the rain pushed farther south, eventually diminishing to a light drizzle. It was after midday, and Ashley knew she had to get back to camp before Tarun decided to come after her, but she was reluctant to part from her new acquaintance. Leandra may have felt the same way, given the curious glances she kept throwing her way.

  Still…

  “I really should get going, I suppose,” she said quietly.

  “Mmm.”

  “You know, if you’d like to come down and join us at the camp, I’m sure you’d be more than welcome.”

  “Thanks, but I don’t think I’d fit in. I’m, um…not really dressed for company.” Leandra held up a painted hand and wiggled her striped fingers.

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Ashley was disappointed. “Well, it was really nice meeting you, Leandra. And I really do appreciate you saving me yesterday.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  Ashley had turned to leave when a hand grabbed her arm and stopped her. She glanced back, an eyebrow raised, and saw Leandra obviously struggling with something. She waited patiently for her to sort through her thoughts.

  “I know a place not too far from here,” Leandra said very quietly. “It’s a favorite roosting spot for peacocks. If you wanted to, maybe I could take you out there before you leave? I’m sure you could get some good pictures of them.”

  Ashley’s smile lit her face. “Sure, that sounds great. How about we go there tomorrow?”

  Leandra smiled too, her expression relieved but still shy. “Okay. I’ll come get you in the morning, all right? Just take a walk out of the camp and I’ll find you.”

  “Absolutely.” Ashley brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. “I don’t suppose you want the others knowing about you, huh?”

  “Tell them what you want,” Leandra said, her voice starting to crack from the unaccustomed use. “As long as they don’t mention me to the rangers, it’s okay.”

  “Great. So, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

  “Tomorrow.”

  With a smile and a happy wave over her shoulder, Ashley started making her way down the slope, back to her friends.

  Leandra watched from the mouth of the cave as Ashley carefully picked a path down the rain-soaked terrain, feeling a residual smile still curving her lips. She hadn’t had much to smile about in a long time, and it was a nice feeling. Only when her visitor was out of sight did she return to the cave and seat herself on one of the boulders by the fire.

  It was strange, she mused. She had been alone a long time now; four years seemed like too short a figure to measure the length of her self-imposed exile. It had been so long since she’d last spoken that the sound of her voice had surprised her when she’d used it today. It seemed deeper than she remembered it. Even her own name had taken a moment to dig up from where it had lain for so long, unused, in the back of her mind.

  If she took a deep breath, Leandra could still detect the last traces of the young woman’s scent in the air. Deodorant, perfume, cotton. Things she hadn’t thought of in a long time. Ashley hadn’t just brought herself into the cave; she’d brought a glimpse into a world Leandra had turned away from years ago. She now remembered what it felt like to hear another person talk and to have company. She recalled other things, as well. Flashes of various images and remembrances returned to her: the tall, monolithic skyscrapers of the city, the softness of clean, down-filled quilts, the simple luxury of being able to eat without having to hunt first.

  The faces of loved ones lost before she came here.

  Leandra sat quietly, remembering things she had thought forgotten, looking forward to hearing more of the sound of Ashley’s voice in the morning.

  Returning to the camp, Ashley endured Tarun’s frustrated scolding with a patient smile, content to ignore his reminders that he had been hired to guide them and keep them safe, and that he couldn’t very well do that if she was constantly running off alone.

  When his words had no visible effect, Tarun threw his hands in the air and stormed off, muttering about how he’d never get work again if one of his clients got killed while under his care. Ashley watched him go with an amused smile, then settled herself comfortably on the ground by the fire. Grady immediately joined her.

  “I’m guessing from the satisfied look on your face that you found what you were looking for?”

  “Indeed, I did.” Ashley folded her hands behind her head and leaned back against a tree branch, teasing Grady with the simple reply.

  “And?”

  “And her name is Leandra, and she’s very nice.”

  Grady made an impressed sound and raised an eyebrow. “You spoke with her?”

  “Yep. Just so happens she’s an American. We had quite a nice little chat. She even cooked us lunch.”

  “Leave it to you to find an adventure wherever you go,” he said, shaking his head a little. “So, what’s her story? Why is she out here?”

  Ashley’s smile faltered. “Actually, she didn’t say exactly why she’s out here,” she admitted after a moment of reflection on her meeting with Leandra. “I got the impression she follows the poachers around and…well—”

  “And kills them,” Grady finished.

  Ashley shrugged. “There are militant groups all over the world that track down and exterminate poachers,” she argued in Leandra’s defense. “We saw some of that in Africa.” The situation with the African elephants was so dire, the government had been forced to take drastic action to stem the trade in black market ivory. “Leandra’s not any worse than the men who are hunting the tigers to extinction.”

  Grady merely grunted. “Did she mention why she dresses up like a tiger?”

  “I think she wants to live like they do, and it helps her to look the part,” Ashley explained. “She’s strange. Even when she talks normally, her voice sounds like it comes from deep in her chest. She actually purrs when she’s relaxed. And I mean real purring too, not fake stuff…like she has no control over it.” She shook her head, remembering. “She really does behave a lot like a cat.”

  “So I take it she’s going to leave us in peace?”

  “She knows why we’re here, and she doesn’t mind.” Ashley considered whether to tell Grady there was no white tiger, but decided against it. While Grady probably wouldn’t care, Simon and Grace would be very disappointed. Ashley thought it would do the scientists good to have the hope of finding the rare creature. “I think she was just curious about us before, and that’s why she came snooping around the other night.”

  “Uh huh. So, I guess she wants to be left alone now, right?”

  Ashley grinned, knowing Grady was hoping that with her questions about the tiger-woman answered, she would let the matter go. “Actually, she invited me out for a walk tomorrow morning. There’s a place she knows where I can get some good shots of peacocks, and she offered to show me.”

  Grady eyed her intently. “Are you certain that’s a good idea? Is she safe?”

  “Oh, for crying out loud, Grady,” Ashley said with a snort. “She’s not going to hurt me. She’s been out here a long time with no one to talk to. I think she just wants a little company, and I’m more than happy to give it to her.” She glared at her partner until he looked away. “She’s interesting and unusual, and she’s probably very lonely. It doesn’t do any harm to be nice to her. Especially if she can get me closer to the animals.”

  “All right.” Grady held up his hands in defeat. “Do what you want. You always do, anyway. I’m just trying to watch out for you, that’s all.”

  “I know that. But you haven’t even met he
r, so don’t judge her by the fact that she’s a little different. I’ll be fine.”

  Grady let the matter rest and turned the conversation to work-related issues. Ashley spent the afternoon seeing to her equipment, then wandered down to the river to join Simon and Grace at the hide. When night fell, the group came together around the campfire for dinner. Tarun was still upset at Ashley, but it was clear Grady had spoken with him about her and he didn’t argue further about her actions.

  Retiring to her tent, Ashley lit the kerosene lamp and began leafing through her texts on the great cats again, this time looking at the descriptions therein with her thoughts on her new acquaintance. She already knew tigers were solitary animals: their only contact with others of their species occurring during breeding times, or the long period a cub would spend with its mother. Their habitat was widespread. The great cats seemed able to survive in any terrain that provided cover, large prey animals, and water. She read a few passages about their hunting methods, not surprised to find they relied mainly on stealth and camouflage to capture prey. Tigers could charge with tremendous speed and power, but only in short bursts. Tigers took their prey from behind, if possible, using their weight to bring the quarry to the ground, then biting the neck while holding the animal down with a forelimb. Sometimes they would break the neck, or sometimes bite down on the throat and strangle their prey (a technique that had given rise to the legend of blood-sucking tigers, which Ashley thought was ridiculous since cats didn’t have lips and therefore weren’t able to suck anything).

  Reading that passage, Ashley remembered the bodies of the poachers they’d found: the deep, slashing claw marks across their backs and the way their throats had been torn open. She shuddered, certain Leandra had learned her killing style from the creatures she protected and imitated.

  Ashley wondered what Leandra must have experienced in her four years in the jungle. She didn’t need to be a psychologist to realize that such an extensive period without social contact must have taken a toll on Leandra’s mind.

  “Four years,” she mused quietly. “Four years of living like an animal, of trying to be an animal. I wonder how much a person could forget about being human in that length of time.”

  After putting aside her books and shutting down the lamp, Ashley lay in her sleeping bag, deep in thought. She pictured Leandra’s behavior today. She had seemed okay. While her voice had been raspy from lack of use, she had spoken clearly and thoughtfully. She was polite. She probably relied more on her sense of smell than a regular person would, but that was understandable.

  So, you said you used to be a poacher, Ashley thought, trying to piece together her history from the sparse information Leandra had given her. I can picture that. It would probably be the sort of thing that would teach good survival skills. But then, one day, someone says something that maybe gives you an attack of conscience, so you decide to turn over a new leaf and do something to help the animals you used to hunt. And so you…

  Unfortunately, that was where Ashley’s pondering ran into a brick wall. There were safer, smarter, and more effective ways to fight poaching than to come out here alone, dress up funny, and start killing off the hunters one by one.

  “There’s something else,” she whispered. “I’m betting it takes a lot for someone to turn away from the rest of the world and decide to live with wild animals.”

  Ashley recalled the strange, almost desperate look in Leandra’s eyes as she’d been about to leave. The yearning expression that had crossed Leandra’s face just before she’d offered to show Ashley the peacocks.

  “You’ve been out here a long time,” she whispered to the absent woman. “No one to talk to. No human contact except the men you hunt. You probably feel more kinship with the tigers than with your own species. And yet today, you not only talked to me, but you wanted to see me again.” Ashley felt privileged that Leandra had opened up to her, even if only a little. “I bet you’ve forgotten what it’s like to have a friend who can actually talk with you.” She smiled to herself. “Perhaps I should remind you.”

  Closing her eyes, Ashley snuggled into a pillow of folded clothes and let herself drift off, the image of piercing blue eyes and a powerful, tawny-gold figure the last thing she remembered before sleep claimed her.

  Ashley grinned with delight as she finished off another roll of film and changed the cartridge with an automatic ease gained only after years of practice. A group of four peacocks and perhaps a dozen peafowl ranged before her, the males displaying their magnificent, shimmering tail-fans in the early morning light. She gave her unusual companion a radiant smile before focusing for more shots.

  “This is fantastic!” she exclaimed for the fifth time. “I can’t believe how close they let us get.”

  They had come out here just after first light, hiking the short distance to the clearing in relative silence. Upon arriving, Leandra surprised her by folding her hands over her mouth and giving a piercing, very authentic-sounding peacock call. The sound attracted a host of preening and excited birds, much to Ashley’s delight. Now the sun was well into the sky, and Ashley was almost out of film. Leandra hadn’t spoken much, so Ashley talked a little about her family and her work just to fill the quiet. The peculiarity of the scene, with Leandra sitting back on her haunches listening to her with a slight smile playing about her lips, made for a slightly awkward atmosphere. Still, it was worth a little awkwardness to be here.

  Finally finishing off the last role of film she’d brought, Ashley fiddled with her camera a few moments before settling down next to her companion, trying not to be too obvious about sneaking sidelong glances at Leandra’s unusual appearance.

  “Wow! I can’t believe how many pictures I got. I mean, I already had a few shots of peacocks, but nothing like these. I only wish I’d brought more film.” Grady was always trying to get her to update her equipment, raving about the superiority of the new digital cameras over the older models, but Ashley refused to listen. She preferred the comforting reliability and simplicity of using real film. Now, she smiled at her striped companion, noting that even Leandra’s sitting style was vaguely feline. She could also hear the sound of quiet purring, and from that she surmised her companion was in a good mood. “Thank you for bringing me out here.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  They watched the magnificent birds continue their antics, enjoying the display. Though she tended to judge her own work with a strict eye, Ashley felt confident she had captured at least a few terrific shots this morning. Photographing in the wild was a tricky game, and getting that perfect image relied on luck every bit as much as planning, equipment, or setting.

  “You know,” Leandra said quietly after a long period of silent contemplation, “if you wanted me to, I could show you some other places. There’s a spot, upriver a few miles, where the elephants usually water. And there are lots of other birds and animals you could photograph. I wouldn’t mind taking you to see them.”

  “That’d be great.” Ashley could sense again that her companion was very nervous, and she actually found the strong, predatory woman’s uncertainty rather cute. “But you know, Leandra, if you want to spend time with me, you don’t have to go to all this trouble.”

  Leandra’s expression grew even more nervous, and she started fidgeting with one of the cords of hair hanging over her chest. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean it’s okay if you want company,” Ashley said gently, her expression soft and open. “I guess you haven’t had a friend for a while, right?”

  Shy, timid blue eyes glanced up, then quickly away. “Well, maybe not in the people sense, no. But I do have friends out here.” She nodded at the peacocks.

  Ashley chuckled. “I probably don’t want to meet some of your other friends, huh?”

  “Probably not.”

  Ashley studied the painted woman for a moment. “I’d really like to be your friend, too, Leandra,” she said
quietly. “If you want some company, you can just say so; I’m more than happy to spend time with you. Even if it’s for no particular reason. You don’t have to take me to see animals. You can just ask.” She paused, uncertain. “You know, I read that tigers are solitary. They spend almost all their time alone. But you’re not a tiger, you’re a human being.” From the guarded look that dropped immediately over Leandra’s face, Ashley realized she’d hit a nerve. “It’s not such a good thing for a human to be alone for too long.”

  Leandra’s posture stiffened, her expression guarded. “I know that.” The purring was replaced by a threatening growl.

  Ashley raised her hands in a calming gesture. “I’m not trying to make you angry,” she said. “I’m sure you have a reason to be out here like this, and I’m not saying you shouldn’t be here if it’s what you want. I’m just saying that, maybe, it would be good for you to be around another person. Like me, for example.” She smiled, reassured when Leandra realized the unfriendly noises she was making and stopped them, looking embarrassed. “When was the last time you spoke actual words? I mean, before we met?”

  “About three years ago, I guess.”

  “Does anyone in the outside world know you’re here?” Ashley probed gently. “Family? Friends?”

  Leandra shook her head. “Anyone who knew me probably assumes I’m dead,” she whispered. “I doubt they miss me much, anyway.”

  Ashley scooted closer, amused to see Leandra’s nostrils twitch as she sniffed the air. There were a thousand and one questions burning on the tip of her tongue—a thousand things she wanted to ask Leandra about her life and what had brought her here—but she resisted the desire to give them voice. Working with animals all her life had taught her that you couldn’t get close to a wild animal if you moved in too quickly. Calm and patience worked best. She decided to employ those same tactics with Leandra. “I think you need to be reminded that you’re not an animal,” Ashley said, very slowly reaching out and pushing back the mass of hair. “Under all this paint and hair, there’s a beautiful woman, not a giant cat. You don’t want to forget that.”