by Amber Jacobs
“It’s how she looked. She lived alone in the jungle for the last four years. I was pretty much the first person she talked to in that whole time, expect for the tigers.”
Evelyn’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope.” Ashley reached for her coffee and took a sip. “It’s hard to believe, but she had been living as a tiger all that time. She can hunt like they do, move like they do. She can even talk like they do. She’s absolutely amazing to watch in action.”
“But why? I mean, what was she doing out there?”
“She had her reasons.” Ashley hesitated, not comfortable sharing the secrets of Leandra’s life, even with her own sister. “I guess life hit her badly, and she needed some time to get herself together again.”
Evelyn studied the pictures again with new appreciation, shaking her head in amazement. “How the hell did you hook up with her?”
“When we went out there, we happened to set up camp in her hunting ground.” Ashley climbed onto the barstool next to her sister. “She was curious about us and came snooping round one night. She scared the heck out of me, I’ll tell you. Then, one morning I was out by the river, and I got in some trouble. I surprised a poacher, and Leandra came along and scared him off. She disappeared before I could say much, but that night, I saw her campfire. You know me, I couldn’t let well enough alone. The next morning, I went looking for her, wanting to say thank you, and we just kind of clicked.”
“That’s unbelievable. I mean, I’m used to you coming home from these trips with some good stories, but this is pretty wild even by your scale.”
“I know.” Ashley grinned. “She was really lonely out there, so we started spending time together. She showed me everything she knew, shared all her secrets with me. We really fit together well, and the more I got to know her, the more I liked her. I couldn’t really help it. I fell for her—hard.” She chuckled a little sheepishly. “Imagine my surprise when I found out she felt the same way.”
“Well…” Evelyn gave the photograph a last look and handed it back. “She’s easy on the eyes, I’ll give you that. And I guess she can’t be any worse than that last guy you dated. What was his name? Steve?”
“Ugh, don’t remind me.” Ashley made a face. “Leandra’s nothing like anyone I’ve ever been involved with.”
“So, I guess this is pretty serious then, huh?”
“She came halfway around the world just to be here with me,” Ashley said, “and if she hadn’t, I would have stayed in the jungle to be with her. She left her whole world behind for me, and I know that wasn’t easy for her. So yeah, it’s about as serious as it gets.”
“Well, I’m happy for you, sis.” Evelyn leaned over and gave her another hug. “She must love you a lot to give up everything just to stay by your side.”
“Thanks.” Ashley felt an unrealized tension ease from her shoulders. She was grateful she had her sister’s support, knowing it would help smooth the way when it came time to tell their parents. “That means a lot to me.”
Evelyn pulled away from the embrace, her eyes dropping to Ashley’s neck and chest. She grinned mischievously. “And all of a sudden, those marks are looking less like insect bites and more like love bites.”
Ashley blushed and tried futilely to pull her shirt over the light bruises. “Yeah, well…Leandra gets pretty intense sometimes.”
Evelyn waggled her eyebrows, clearly enjoying this rare display of discomfort. “I’ll bet. What are you planning on telling Mom and Dad? I take it they don’t know you’re back?”
“No, I was going to wait a bit before I called them.” Ashley rubbed her eyes and took another sip of coffee. “I need some time to rest after the flight and also let Leandra get settled in. Coming back to civilization has to be a serious culture shock for her.”
“Uh huh. Maybe it would help if I talked to them first? Just to give them a heads up, explain things a little so they have some time to get used to the idea?”
“You can if you like,” Ashley said, her expression stern. “But Leandra’s here to stay, no matter how they feel about it. It’s not like I can send her back there. I love her, and that’s just something they’ll have to accept.”
“Okay, but this is pretty big news, Ash,” Evelyn pointed out patiently. “Mom and Dad don’t freak out easily, but this is going to be a bit of a shock. I think it’ll go better if you don’t just spring Leandra on them.”
Ashley considered that and had to agree her sister was right; she wanted her parents to like Leandra, and that was more likely to happen if they had a moment to get used to the idea before they met her. “I’ll call them tomorrow night,” she said. “If you want to go over there and explain the situation before that, I don’t mind.”
Evelyn smiled agreeably. “No problem.” Swallowing the last of her coffee, she dropped the cup off in the sink. “Casey’s going to go nuts.”
Ashley snorted. “Trust me, Evie, I think she’ll get along just fine with Leandra.” Casey had never really gotten along well with any of her past romances. The somewhat rebellious seventeen-year-old treated her aunt more like an older sister. They were close to the same age, both determined to do what they wanted in life regardless of the opinions of others, and they spent a lot of time together.
Casey sometimes got a bit possessive whenever Ashley had a boyfriend. Still, for some reason, Ashley didn’t foresee any troubles regarding Leandra. It was just a feeling she had, but somehow, she knew the two would mesh well.
“She’ll be home from school in about an hour,” Evelyn said. “I should warn you, she’s been waiting for you to get back for the past two weeks, and none too patiently at that. Will it be okay if she comes around tonight?”
“Sure, no problem. You want me to feed her?”
Evelyn glanced at the bare cupboards wryly. “I think I’d better do that. Looks like you need to do some shopping.”
“Yeah. I’ll take a trip into town tomorrow and restock. Leandra needs some new clothes, and I should stop in at work and process some film.” She put the Polaroid’s back in their folder. “Just wait until you see some of the other shots I got. You won’t believe them, they’re so amazing.”
“I can’t wait.” Evelyn glanced at the oven clock. “I’d better head off,” she said with a sigh. “Sorry it’s such a brief welcome home, but I should have started cooking dinner an hour ago. I’ll stop by as soon as I get some spare time, okay? I’m looking forward to getting to know your new friend a bit better.” She wrapped Ashley in a final farewell hug. “You’re not planning any more trips for a while, right?”
“I hope not.” Ashley returned the hug tightly. “It’s good to be home again. I’ve missed having someone to talk to about everything.”
“We’ll sit down and have a proper talk soon, I promise. I want to hear all the details about your latest adventure.” Evelyn’s eyes sparkled playfully. “Even the juicy ones.”
Ashley blushed and gave her sister a gentle shove. “I’m not the type to kiss and tell.”
“Yeah, well I’ve been a staid, old married mother for nearly eighteen years, young lady, so the least you can do is give me a few interesting tidbits.” Evelyn waved. “I’ll see you later, Ash.”
“Yeah, see you.”
Ashley watched through the window, as her sister got in her car and drove off. She was glad her older sibling had been so understanding. Although she had told herself she didn’t care what her family thought of Leandra, she now realized that deep down, she still wanted their approval. She had been very successful in her professional choices, and her parents were justly proud of her efforts. Now, she wanted them to love and accept Leandra the same way she did, and a part of her feared they wouldn’t be willing or able to embrace this latest development in her life.
Ashley headed upstairs to retrieve her shoes so she could go looking for her lover in the forest. She smiled at
the trail of water Leandra had left after her shower, shaking her head with fond indulgence.
“We’ve got some re-education to do, Jungle Jane.” Ashley knew that getting Leandra back to civilization wasn’t going to instantly tame the wild instincts that had developed these last four years. The tiger-woman would require a lot of patience and understanding in the weeks ahead, and Ashley had no illusions about this being some kind of fairytale romance where everything was always easy. It was going to take hard work and endless compassion in order for their budding relationship to survive.
Still, Ashley was never one to back down from a challenge. She had faith in the strength of her love for Leandra, and almost looked forward to the challenges they were going to face in the coming days.
Later that evening, Leandra sat on the floor of the sunken living room, her back propped against the lounge, legs stretched out across the comfortable Indian rug before her. Ashley sat on the lounge, one leg thrown over each of Leandra’s shoulders, playing idly with a few cords of tangled ebony hair. A couple of empty dinner plates sat on the coffee table, only one of which had any cutlery on it, since Leandra still preferred eating with her hands. The television was on, and images of colorful cartoon characters played across the screen to the quiet sounds of accompanying music. They watched the Road Runner evade yet another wildly improbable scheme cooked up by Wile E. Coyote, and Ashley enjoyed the sweet smile that lifted the corners of Leandra’s lips.
“It’s nice to know some things don’t change,” Leandra remarked huskily. “Television seems just as inane as I remember it.”
“I think they’re kind of cute,” Ashley said, watching the ever-persistent Coyote plummet off a cliff. “You know he’ll never catch the Road Runner, and that makes it funny when he fails. And he never gives up. That’s a good message.”
Leandra grunted and began stroking Ashley’s bare feet softly. “I’m exhausted.”
“Me too.” Ashley wriggled her toes and gave a sleepy, encouraging moan. “Jet lag plus stress equals one massive energy drain. We’ll get some sleep soon.”
Leandra was silent for a few moments before she asked. “What are we doing tomorrow?”
“I thought we’d go into town and do some shopping. You can’t be comfortable wearing clothes that are five sizes too small for you.”
Leandra glanced back at her with heat in her eyes, a shiver-inducing purr rumbling from deep in her chest. “You could always take them off me.”
Ashley blushed. “I could, but I think that’d be a bit much for when Casey stops by.”
Leandra’s expression changed, and the purring grew silent. “Oh, right. I’d forgotten about that.”
Ashley shifted around on the couch so she could give Leandra’s shoulder a comforting squeeze. “You don’t need to worry, Leandra. Casey doesn’t bite.”
“I know, it’s just…” Leandra struggled for a moment, looking around at the furnishings with a wistful expression. “I haven’t had to socialize with anyone in so long, it’s hard to remember how to act. In the jungle, things were so much simpler. The rules were clearer. Here, things are so much more complex.”
“You’ll get the hang of it again soon,” Ashley said. “There’s no reason to rush anything. We’ll take it as slow as you want.” She paused, and then added, “Tomorrow is Saturday. We can go to one of the quieter places to look for clothes, if you like. It’ll be fine, you’ll see.”
“What about money?”
“I don’t mind paying our expenses.”
“Ashley, I can’t just expect you to support me forever,” Leandra insisted. “That’s not fair to either of us.”
Ashley couldn’t deny that had their positions been reversed, she would feel the same way. Leandra had lived in a world where the only person she could rely on was herself; expecting her to sacrifice her independence wasn’t reasonable. “Okay, I suppose I can understand that. But this has been a big move for you, Leandra. You need to take some time to settle in, and worrying about money isn’t going to help. If it makes you feel better to pay me back later, fine, but I want to do what I can to make this easier for you.”
“I know, and I appreciate it. But I’ve been giving this some thought since I first decided to leave, and I might have at least a temporary solution.”
“Oh?”
Leandra shifted around so she could face her directly. “Before I went to India, I was pretty well off. I had an expensive apartment in New York and a lot of assets.”
“But you’ve been gone for four years,” Ashley pointed out. “Whatever was in the apartment probably got sold for back rent.”
“Maybe. But I had money stashed in several overseas accounts that no one could have touched. There were a few storage houses holding my stuff, too. They would have been paid automatically. It might take a while, but I know all the details are in my head somewhere. If I have some time, I can remember them. The money would be more than enough to pay my way, at least until I figure out a way to earn my keep.”
Ashley considered this idea and smiled. “Okay then, if that would make you feel better.”
“It would.” Leandra turned back around and pulled Ashley’s legs tighter against her chest. “You know, I’d forgotten how much importance people place on money,” she whispered after a period of silence. “It’s kind of ironic, in a way. I spent so much of my life trying to accumulate as much wealth and power as I could, just like most people do, thinking it gave me greater control over my life. But four years in the jungle have a way of changing your priorities, showing you what’s really important. The control I thought I had was just an illusion, and all the money in the world couldn’t have saved me if Shar-Tushar had decided to take my life.” She smiled. “When you strip it all away—the money, the home, the secure little world where you’re in charge of everything you see and touch and desire—when it’s all gone, you start to understand just how little control you actually have. I hadn’t really thought about it until now, but it’s kind of liberating to live as an animal. So much simpler. Hunt, eat, sleep.” She cast a saucy glance behind her. “Mate.”
Ashley smiled slightly. “You’re going to miss that world, aren’t you?”
“Would I be a terrible person if I said yes?”
“Of course not.”
Leandra’s lips pressed into a firm line. “Have you ever heard about how some people who have been in prison a long time start to fear their freedom?”
“Institutionalization? Yeah.”
“I can understand that,” Leandra said in a soft voice. “The jungle was my prison, my punishment. I hated it so much, sometimes. But in a way, I loved it just as intensely. I understood the jungle world; even though sometimes it hurt me, I learned a lot about myself from experiencing life the way I did.” She regarded Ashley seriously. “But at the end of the day, I’m glad you came along before it became too late for me to leave my prison.”
Ashley felt the full force of Leandra’s love and affection hit her as she looked into those burning sapphire eyes, but before she could think of anything to say in response, there was a knock on the door. Both women glanced up, then turned to each other.
“That’ll be Casey,” Ashley said.
Leandra disentangled herself and stood up, then offered a hand to help Ashley to her feet. “I think I’ll take a look around outside. Maybe climb that great big oak tree out there.”
“You don’t have to go, Leandra.” The knocking was repeated, and Ashley went to answer. “Casey’s going to want to meet you sooner or later, so you might as well—” She turned back around but found the living room empty. Leandra had vanished, swift and silent as a dark zephyr. Ashley turned back to the front door. “Damn, that woman moves fast,” she muttered. “I’m going to have to get a bell or something to tie around her neck.”
Sitting in the branches of the ancient, gnarled oak tree that dominated the backyard of Ash
ley’s home, Leandra closed her eyes and listened peacefully to the sounds of the night animals. Things were a good deal quieter in this sedate forest than they were in the steamy depths of the Indian jungle, but Leandra could detect subtle calls and cries others might ignore. Her hearing was finely tuned to pick up the minutest details, and to her, the sounds told a dramatic story of hunter and prey.
My first night back in civilization. I can already tell I’m going to be spending a lot of time in this tree.
The tree was huge, its branches sweeping close to the ground and providing easy holds for climbing. Leandra had positioned herself among the topmost branches of the great tree, hidden from below by the dense foliage. She felt safe here. Comfortable. Although she wasn’t exactly afraid of meeting the rest of Ashley’s family, she could admit to a little private nervousness. She’d lost her own family a long time ago, and all the different interactions and familial relations were strange to her. Leandra wondered if she’d ever really feel at ease in this world.
I fit in with the tigers better than I do with my own species, she thought sadly.
A noise from below made her tense, and she shifted on her perch to listen as footsteps made their way closer to the base of the oak. Sniffing the air, she detected an unfamiliar scent. Not Ashley, she concluded, as the sound of someone climbing up toward her grew louder, Leandra remained crouching there silently in the shadows, her senses picking up the smells of leather, perfume, and youth.
Moments later, a hand reached up and wrapped around the thick branch on which Leandra was sitting. A second joined it, and soon a young girl pulled herself up onto the perch, giving a slight grunt. Taking a second to look around in the light of the waning full moon, she spied Leandra sitting against the bole of the tree and smiled briefly.