His Raj rumbled, licking his nose and cheeks, caring for him just as he always had.
Rumbling, he sang a quiet song about how strong his Raj was, how fierce and brave and good to his silly, so sorry Rishi.
That made his Raj happy, he could tell, Malik turning to him and rubbing cheeks, the purr stronger, more real.
He kept singing, kept loving, kept licking and nuzzling and needing his Malik. His Raj. His Heart.
Malik rolled, pushing him down, nuzzling at him, loving him back. The heavy weight felt good, reminded him whom he belonged to.
Oh. Good. Good. He stretched and purred so loud. He was a So Sorry Rishi. He wanted to be Home and have things be So Good.
His Raj licked and purred and told him he was So Good, and that they were together and that was all that mattered.
Yes. His Raj. His Mate. His Heart and His Hunter and His Malik.
How he loved.
Rishi rubbed their cheeks together, watching the Sky in Malik's eyes.
They would be Good again. It all would be. The mans would be forgotten, and his Raj would roar and be Strong and Brave and he would be Happy. Soon.
~Chapter Fifteen~
Malik finally decided it was about time he stopped moping about. Rishi was very sad, though he channelled it into furious energy as always, ripping up all evidence of Lynn and leaving their clearing a shambles.
For his own part, he had slept, and been quiet and withdrawn and he could see that it was weighing on Rishi, his young one beginning to tiptoe around him like he had a sore paw. It would not do for his young one to fear snuggling with him, or playing too loudly.
It would not.
So Malik decided to let go of his hurt. He had lived too long not to know that sometimes the ones you loved left, and had lived among men long enough to understand what fickle creatures they were.
Rishi, though, Rishi was constant and loving and Malik would not drive him away with his foul temper. Ever.
His chance came to him when Rishi wandered off to their pool to drink. Rishi even drank with closed eyes, afraid that water might splash in them, and Malik was downwind, so Rishi did not know he was coming until he roared and knocked the young one right into the water.
Rishi went down with a splash, roaring fiercely as his young one found his feet, teeth bared in warning and surprise. Then, as soon as those golden eyes fastened on him, the roar became playful, happy, his Rishi tackling him, paws flying.
They bounced off the bank and back into the water, Malik rolling so he was on the bottom getting thoroughly wet, deep growls coming from him. Oh. His So Good Rishi.
Rishi's eyes were closed, paws stamping and splashing wildly, little happy chuffs filling the air. Malik herded Rishi toward the bank again, growling happily and nipping at Rishi's tail. They needed to play. He needed his Rishi.
Rishi's tail swished and his mate almost bounced, dancing away from his teeth and claws, little growls filling the air. They growled and leapt and rolled and Malik was happy, for the first time in so many days. Happy to be with his Rishi and to be alive and to play. Rishi ran and pounced, standing up on his hind legs and showing him that white, soft belly, gold eyes gleaming as his Rishi roared.
Tail lashing, Malik crouched low and pounced, hitting Rishi square, making their breath whoosh out. They went down, gnawing and licking, chuffing their laughter.
There was a sound and the sudden scent of a man.
Head coming up, Malik rolled up, crouching and ready, roar ringing through the clearing. No more men. He would kill them.
Then the mans appeared, Lynn, only a Lynn wearing new coverings and smelling all wrong and carrying a very large box on his back.
Rishi snarled, teeth bared, the sound part hurt, part disbelief, and mostly fury.
The man froze. "Rishi? Malik? It is me -- Lynn."
Stunned, Malik stood frozen for long moments, listening to Rishi growl and wondering if his eyes were deceiving him. Then he let go of his tiger form and flowed into his man form. This would require words.
His Rishi's growls grew louder, darker, that long tail slapping the ground.
Lynn smiled, but it was hesitant and he didn't come any nearer. "Malik?"
Putting a hand down to silence Rishi, Malik nodded. "Lynn. What are you doing here?"
"I've come home."
"Home?" Anger and pain in equal amounts clawed at his belly. "You left us."
"I had to. They would have found you if I had stayed."
Rishi's nose nudged him, pushing him away from Lynn. He petted Rishi softly, but did not look away from Lynn. "You smell like men."
"I was in the city. I got supplies, told the authorities the tiger who killed my Master was dead. Then I got on a boat for England and slipped away." Lynn's smile faded. "You don't look happy to see me."
Hope was not something he could give in to now, and Malik pushed it down. "You are saying you meant to come back all along?"
The man looked down at the ground. "Not when I first went, no. But once I was gone, I realised how much I did not want to be. It was not until I arrived at Bombay that I discovered how I could return."
"Rishi cried for you." He was not doing well. He should tell Lynn to go, make him go, but instead he wanted to hurt the man as Lynn had hurt them.
Rishi took his wrist in his mouth, tugging, whimpering.
Lynn took a step back. "I... I'm sorry."
The urge to protect both Rishi and Lynn from more pain was strong, for he was the elder here, the protector, but Malik did not know what to do. "We did not think you would come back."
"I could not stay away."
Rishi stopped tugging and looked at Lynn, growling and snapping, telling Lynn how they had hurt and hurt and looked and missed.
They had, and he was not sure they could easily forgive. "Rishi tore down your house."
"Do you want me to go?" Lynn asked, pain in the soft voice.
What could he say? He did not want Lynn to leave them again, but it would be better for him to go now rather than stay and live and have them love him and then leave again. "I do not want you to stay if you will leave the next time men come."
"I do not wish to go. I had my chance to stay with men, to go home to where I was born. I chose to come and be with you and Rishi again. You are my family now. If you will have me."
It was not just for him to decide. Rishi had a say as well, and Malik looked down at his young one, stroking softly.
Rishi looked at Lynn, then over at him, eyes still and quiet.
Then, to his surprise, Rishi changed, shivering into his man form. "You stay. For my Raj. But, know this. You are a mans. I am not a mans. You go away and I am still here. Loving my Raj and hurting. Rishi is No mans."
"No, you are not a man, you are a So Good Rishi." Lynn looked as if he would cry.
Rishi gave Lynn a surprised look, then nodded. "Yes. So Good Rishi. And his Raj. And their Man."
Malik nodded. That was that. Lynn would stay. And they would try to rebuild their love like they would Lynn's house. A piece at a time.
~Chapter Sixteen~
Lynn put his boxes next to the tree. His supplies. He hoped they served him well; they had cost him dearly.
Malik and Rishi had almost sent him away again. As it was, he could feel the rift between them, knew their trust in him was broken, perhaps shattered beyond repair. Still. Being away had given him insight and he knew that this was where his heart truly lay.
He took off his coat, folded it and laid it with his boxes.
He was stalling, making work for himself so that he would not have to face their eyes again. Malik's sad, hurt, Rishi's more angry.
Rishi had steadfastly ignored him since turning back into a tiger, sitting and watching the water on his rock. Still, those ears twitched at every sound he made, tail flicking.
Malik was pacing, back and forth. He would go to the water, then come back. Those blue eyes never left him. Though he would not look, he could feel them.
There was only
one thing that he could think of that might put an end to the awkwardness between them. Or at least begin to.
He dug into the smallest box and took out the hard brush he had purchased. He grabbed the cushion from the large box and set it in the shade of the tree, sitting. "I brought a new brush."
Rishi's tail stopped, the long line of back rippling. Then Rishi looked to Malik, waiting.
Malik nodded sharply, gesturing for Rishi to go to him. "Yes. Rishi missed your brushing."
Rishi made a soft, unhappy noise, then leapt down, chittering and fussing at Malik, nudging Malik with his head, pushing them both closer to Lynn.
He blinked back tears. That Rishi would hesitate over this...
Sighing, Malik dug his fingers into Rishi's ruff and they came to him together, Malik settling across from him, patting a spot for Rishi to stretch out between them.
Rishi settled, sighing softly, one paw wrapped around Malik's thigh.
His hand shook as he went to brush Rishi and he changed the gesture, offering the brush instead to Malik. He would not force this on the young one. "I will go bathe -- clean the city from my skin."
Those blue eyes bore into his as Malik joined hands with his over the brush and brought it down to Rishi's back. "No. You will stay. Prove to us that you wish to be near us."
Rishi's tail landed on his legs, heavy and sure, the message clear. Stay.
He nodded, tears escaping. "Yes. I will stay."
He began to brush, finding easily the long smooth strokes that Rishi liked best.
Soon Malik's hand left his, letting him brush while Malik stroked Rishi's ears. Rishi's purrs started softly, but soon filled the air, rich and warm. Tension he hadn't even noticed melted from the cat, Rishi going limp beside him.
It eased his own tension and soon he was almost purring himself, eyes half closed as he brushed. Even Malik seemed more relaxed, a soft sigh leaving him once more, this one less frustration and more contentment. He lost himself in the familiar motions, in the feel of the soft fur and powerful body beneath his hands.
Rishi wiggled and moved until he was draped between them, the huge head in Lynn's lap, body over Malik. Then once he was settled, Rishi closed his eyes and began snuffling and snoring.
"It is good you are back, Lynn." Malik's voice was soft. "We missed you."
He nodded. "I missed you both very much. And this place. This is where I belong."
"Our place. We tried very hard to make it the same when you were gone. But we could not." Malik's hand closed over his once more. "Thank you."
He let the brush go and turned his hand to hold Malik's. "Thank you for taking me back. I will not leave again. I swear it."
"We will protect what is ours, Lynn. If the men come back, we will make sure they do not take us. Promise you will never foolishly do something like that again."
He reached out to touch Malik's cheek, stroking softly as Rishi snored between them. "I could not live with myself if something happened to you or Rishi."
"And we do not want to live without you." Malik nuzzled into his palm, cheek rubbing in best tiger fashion. "From now on what we do, we do together, yes?"
Rishi called out, a sad sound that eased as soon as he stroked the soft ears.
He nodded, stroking them both. "Yes. Together."
***
Things were...
Better.
Not So Good.
Not right.
Not Home.
But Better.
Mostly.
Except...
Rishi idly poked a big Jumping Buzzing Bug with his paw and harrumphed.
No one was playing. Or roaring. Or laughing. Or Pouncing.
Or Mating.
He poked the bug again. Rishi liked to Play.
And roar and laugh and mate.
He really missed Pouncing.
He poked the bug again.
Poke.
Poke.
Poking was not fun like Pouncing.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Long-legged Jumping Buzzing Bugs did not squeak like their Man.
Poke.
Or Oof.
Poke.
Poke.
Or even Roar like his Raj.
Rishi tilted his head and considered Roaring, but that might make his Raj Grumpy.
Grumpy Rajs were POINTY.
Although...
Poke.
Pointy might be okay.
He reached out to poke one more time and that was when Malik hit, when he was off balance. There wasn't even a roar, or a change in the wind, to warn him. Just a pounce.
Oh! His Raj was a Great Hunter! They rolled and rolled and then Malik was staring down at him with blue-sky eyes, chuffing with laughter.
So Good!
Malik nipped at his ruff, growling like he was ready to play once more, so happy, and bounced away, heading right for Lynn's new walls.
He scrambled to his feet, Roaring and Running to catch his own Raj! His strong Raj! His beautiful Raj!
Malik ran, circling Lynn's little house and roaring, leading him on a merry chase.
He focused on the tip of Malik's tail, trying every few bounces to leap at it and catch it tight.
"Sweet Lord, what is all the commotion?" Their Man had come out of his home and was right in their path.
Malik managed to leap to one side, only the tip of that amazing tail brushing Lynn's chest.
Lynn's chest that was right under his paws as he leapt and roared.
Oops.
They went down together, Lynn shrieking and oofing and making his landing soft.
Malik was with them pushing at him and sniffing Lynn to make sure their Man was not broken.
Lynn was blinking, mouth opening and closing silently.
He bounced up and away, whining. He did Not Want their Man to be Broken. If Lynn was Broken, then maybe their Man would Go Away again and his Raj would Nap and Nap and things would be Bad. And...
Rishi shook his head. No. He did Not Want to break anything.
He wanted to be a So Good Rishi.
Licking Lynn's face, his Raj purred and growled and sat close until their Man sat up, wheezing.
"Oh my." Lynn coughed a little.
Rishi stepped back and went to sit on his Rock and let his Raj take care of their Man.
If Lynn could 'oh my', then their Man must not be too Broken.
'Oh my' was not Good like 'oof', but it was not Broken. Rishi licked his paws. He was getting Very Good at the man talking.
Soon he could hear Lynn climb to his feet, hear his Raj make soft sounds. He thought his Raj would take Lynn back to the man house, but then Malik was there with him, climbing up on their rocks and nuzzling him.
He looked over at his Raj, making a soft So Sorry noise, resting his chin on Malik's paw.
Malik licked his nose, rubbed cheeks with him, and closed sharp teeth around one of his ears, pulling.
He lifted his head, grumbling softly, meeting Malik's eyes.
His Raj rubbed noses with him, loving on him, blue eyes and soft purrs telling him he was So Good. Then Malik hopped down to the ground, looking back over at him and grumbling. Waiting.
He almost didn't go.
Almost.
But it made his belly sad when Malik grumbled and he needed to see their Man.
Lynn was coming toward them, walking slowly and muttering, brushing himself off.
Rishi bent his head down, sighing and making his tail and shoulders low in apology.
"Oh no! Rishi, were you hurt?" Their Man's hands slid through his fur.
Malik's grumbling and growling stopped as soon as the two of them touched, the sounds becoming happy purrs.
He pushed into Lynn's touches, into those So Good hands.
Lynn scratched his ears and petted him and fussed, murmuring over him.
Oh.
Oh.
Oh. So Good.
Rishi rubbed his cheeks against Lynn's b
elly, Purring with all he was.
Missed this.
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