by A. Star
“Cougar attacks, huh?” I took a closer look at him. He was cute. Maybe still at university though. Too young for me. He was curious in a pushy way, but harmless really.
“Yeah.” He cleared his throat and shifted a bit, looking me up and down. I could smell the change in his mood. Masculine deodorant and body spray spiked the air when he started to sweat a little. I craved the clean smell of the green-eyed man from the door. I craved him, period. My mouth started to water as my mind drifted.
He coughed and handed me my coffee. I looked down at the white to-go lid, swallowed and met the young man’s eyes. I sighed, slumped my shoulders and pursed my lips in a way that I know makes me look like a concerned but wise granny.
“I’m not scared of cougars. Anyway, it would appear this one had my interests at heart. I’m sure that as long as you and your friends are respectful of the natural surroundings you go out in, no predators would bother you. I’m the same. I’m no helpless deer or antelope. But I do respect my environment.”
“Yeah, but that guy...” He smirked a little, as if to say that guy wasn’t no deer. I interrupted him by saying, “I’ve heard animals can smell malice. It’s a very distinct odour. Different from something that is just pure food to them or a harmless creature they don’t need to deal with.”
I paid for the coffee and he gave me my change saying, “Yeah… Well, you should let someone know if you hear anything outside, I guess.” The door chime rang a couple more times as other people came in. I grabbed my drink and said, “I will. Thanks.”
As I walked out of the cafe, two older ladies who’d swiped glances at me were talking about how down in Florida there is an endangered panther, something about the local wildlife authorities. I tried to push the thoughts out of my head of seeing the man from the doorway. His green eyes looking at me from across some Florida swamp. I inhaled deeply as I walked out of the door. Just the memory of a look at his skin and his smell made heat wash over me. Tempting as it was to throw the hot coffee onto the ground and watch it splat, I clutched it and waited till I could put it into the coffee holder of my car.
* * *
Daniel
It was her. It was definitely her. I recognised her from the news coverage, but seeing her in person was something else. Smelling her was something else; she had a light woodsy smell. Like she lived in a forest and bathed in streams every day. Her scent matched her tawny colouring. Gold brown eyes stared wide at me. I affected her as much as she did me. I watched her skin flush as she passed me in the doorway. The sunlight in her hair struck me and I got one more whiff of her fragrance. Damn. Good thing I was just leaving that coffee shop. I think I managed some human words.
Some confused cops had gotten in touch with me about an infamously violent serial rapist who had been mauled by an animal that some local authorities deemed to be a mountain lion. They were happy the criminal was taken care of, but now they were concerned about a wild creature on the loose. Their other theory was that the lady who saw the attack aftermath actually had a cougar hidden on her property somewhere. The lady was Mira Sanderson. When I caught one last look at her as I got into my truck, I knew that both the cops’ theories were completely wrong.
In Wisconsin, apparently deer, fish and bears were welcome. But cougars? Not so much. There are some transient male mountain lions looking for territory that do wander to some surprisingly eastern areas. But attacks? Those were usually limited to the remote parts of the US and Canada, where humans were still pushing into remaining natural habitats. Funny how human predators were allowed to run riot in run down cities, but a few natural predators in the country wasn’t okay.
Still, even in the Upper Midwest there are areas that are relatively natural, for the most part. I hate it when yet another field is bulldozed into some clone town garbage. It happens so fast that the old downtown areas meant for human habitation get left to rot and the substandard crap takes over rural areas. It’s no wonder there have been cases of confused male cougars looking for territory that manage to find themselves in situations where they are a danger to themselves and others.
But even I was shocked when I saw the picture of the wounds on the human predator. This wasn’t some scared, lost or extra hungry cougar. This was an angry, vicious one. One protecting her territory. This scum bag was a threat and a trespasser and she was punishing him. I was suspicious of what sort of cougar this was, but when I saw Mira Sanderson I knew. But what I wondered most was if she knew what she was.
I made camp around the more remote trails I figured she would use. I set up my equipment, changed into some less conspicuous clothes. I didn’t want to change completely as I was pretty sure she would come find me and I wasn’t sure what our animals would do to each other.
I ran, letting branches snap beneath my feet. The woodsy breeze around me reminded me of her. I found no evidence of fresh or old kills. Even though there was the odd deer and a few rabbits around, the sort of things a mountain lion could survive on. There was plenty of cover, that was for sure. I stopped, breathing deeply and scanning the woods. It was very tempting to shift, but I’d learned to be super careful.
I had some family, grandparents back down in Florida, who were ending their days as humans, tired of hiding and fighting human habitation. They’d also just given into their human sides of wanting to grow old together, be together, enjoy their lives.
I had a recently orphaned niece down there as well who kept an eye on them. Mountain lions don’t keep close relationships with their families, being solitary creatures. But shifters sometimes choose to mate and at least see each other more frequently, and maintain some family contact.
My niece wanted to shift, she knew it was in her and I kept in touch to guide her. One rule is always be careful, don’t just shift because the mood takes you. Plan it. Organise it. Think of everything. Or else.
I was struggling more with my inner mountain lion, who was pacing back and forth wanting a place in these woods. I looked up at the canopy of trees above me and opened my mouth, just to taste the air. Then my head snapped in the direction of a pounding heart and heated limbs. Female, natural woodland seeping from her human pores, and a vicious cougar lurking just beneath. Her breaths came closer. I stayed very still, unsure if Mira would shift and maul me for being on her turf. I meant her no harm of course, but it was hard work to mask my obvious attraction to her.
My own heart pounded and I clenched and unclenched my fists, thinking of gently gripping her tawny hair, how soft her lips would feel. I had to stop or else. If she went into basic cat mode, Mira would not be as forgiving about my desire to possess her, even if just for a while…
Her breaths came harder and closer, her steps over the woodland floor lighter and longer. I backed up against a tree, willing myself into helpful human scientist mode. The smell of the woods got stronger in my nose and I winced my eyes together as I sensed all smaller woodland life exiting the immediate surroundings.
When I opened them, a pair of golden brown eyes were staring right at me. Mira still stood on two legs. Sunlight slipped through the treetops and lit up the sweat on her flushed chest, the flesh exposed atop the v of her t-shirt. Her face was wet and gorgeous, on the very brink of shifting. I caught her just before any normal human would have suspected anything.
Her golden brown hair was lit up by the sun as well. Mira was just so tawny. I needed to see her in cat form. But at this point, looking at her still, breathless form, I had to be grateful that she hadn’t shifted, lunged and ripped out my throat. The rapist she’d mauled got off lightly. Despite the viciousness of her attack, it had stopped short of that. But why? Why didn’t you just kill him, Mira?
She walked towards me slowly, her eyes wide and bright. I turned my head to breathe and swallowed. When I looked back at her, I saw her tongue just touching her incisor, her eyes resting on my neck and jaw. I feared this might turn out for the worst.
“It’s okay… I won’t hurt you. I’m a scientist, I won’t hurt you. I di
dn’t mean to startle you. I didn’t think anybody would be running out here at this time. Especially not after what happened.” I was a blabbering moron, but her panting breaths and glistening skin distracted me. That and I was half-terrified, half-intrigued by the way she looked at my neck and jaw.
Her mouth stayed open as she caught her breath, but thank god she spoke to me. “I saw you in the coffee shop. I’m sorry… It’s just that I don’t normally see people out here.” She smiled at me, swallowed and recommenced her breath-catching. I moved slowly, very slowly, towards her. I’d purposely chosen green fatigue pants and a dark brown shirt to blend in with the surroundings, but I did notice her inhaling as I came closer. She would have been able to smell me from a mile away at least.
She suddenly looked down at the earth and took a big whiff. Her beautiful head shook and Mira’s face changed. Like her confidence suddenly ebbed away.
“I didn’t want to disturb you. I’ll go. I’m really sorry.”
I went forward as gently as possible. I really didn’t want her to go, I needed her to stay.
“No, please, please stay. You’re the lady who witnessed the aftermath of the attack, aren’t you? My name is Daniel.” I extended my hand. She took a step back and looked back at my neck again. I drew back and started speaking.
“I work at an exotic cat rescue centre. I’ve also worked for the United States Wildlife service. I’ve studied mountain lions for years. When an attack happened in the Midwest, I was requested to come here. I saw the guy who was attacked.” Really seeing her. Knowing someone meant to do what that guy did to her made me furious. But I couldn’t just shift. I had to focus. And not on the sweat still glistening on her chest and throat.
“Do you come out here a lot?” I asked.
“Most days,” Mira responded. She arched her back a little and drew her shoulders together.
“You’ve never noticed anything out here?” She looked me up and down. I really wasn’t entirely sure that Mira had any idea what she was. If she did, she did a damn good job of hiding it. Very sneaky. But then, that’s what cats are good at.
I had to hide my irrational pride about her, about our kind. A cocky smirk wanted to come out but her breathy sweet voice stopped it. I focused on her pretty mouth as she licked it nervously before she spoke.
“I’d been out on the trails not long before he was found, but I don’t remember noticing anything. All I remember is falling asleep on my bed then waking up to his screaming.”
Mira Sanderson was blatantly lying to me.
* * *
Mira
I should have ripped his throat out. That would have shut him up. He was so damn noisy. But if anyone found me on my front lawn like that I would have to fight to be alone, always. And I need to be alone. My head carried on looking at the dark dirt for a second before I raised my chin to meet his eyes. His eyes penetrated me. They were hard to get away from.
“Really? You really don’t remember anything?” His voice went up slightly. I watched his Adam’s Apple bob up and down as he swallowed. I tried to hide how badly I wanted to bite his jaw. I had an idea of how his smell, his warm clean skin smell, meant something. Everyone I met had a smell. But his was special. He wasn’t a normal human male.
I tilted my head.
“So I assume you are looking for whatever it was that attacked the man on my lawn?”
I was not going to go all pathetic, be all vulnerable just because he had leaf green eyes and woodland brown hair. The fact that I viewed them that way wasn’t pathetic at all. Surely.
Then he smiled at me with nice teeth and a strong jaw. His eyes looked me up and down quickly, as though I wouldn’t notice. Heat attacked my legs the way it does when I run for a while then stop suddenly. I rolled my shoulders and straightened my back, trying to regain my composure.
“Yes, looking for any signs. Do you ever worry about being out here on your own, Mira? I’m surprised you have gone out running.”
“I’m wary, as anyone should be in the outdoors. Are you scared, Daniel?” Oops, I didn’t mean to sound blatantly threatening. I corrected myself, “I mean…you know…doing what you do? You must be in their territory a lot.”
His gaze was steady on me. I cleared my throat and shifted my legs. I didn’t want to hurt him, but I’d swipe and run if I had to. He came across to me as kind and safe, but there was something else about him that made me wary of him. Something naturally competitive. We had more than one thing in common.
“I’ve got a tranquilizer gun.”
Bastard. “How fast can you reach it though?” I was starting to get angry now.
“Mira, I would never kill a cougar if I found one out here. They are way too rare in these parts. I really just want to find out if it actually was a felis concolor. The wounds on the guy and his account of the attack match other incidents, but these usually happen way up in Canada or out West.” He took a breath and I’m sure he even smirked a little at me. “The attacks aren’t normally so…nasty. That was one angry cougar that started ripping into that guy.”
I kept my face as blank as possible. But my mouth watered again and whispers of the rage I felt that night crept around my shoulders. I swallowed and started talking.
“Where do you usually work then? Have you got your own place where you normally research?”
“I was born in Florida. There is an endangered ‘Florida Panther’ down there, you see, so that’s where the interest came from. I’ve still got family down there who have the same interest. There is an exotic cat refuge just a state away I’ve worked with on and off. You could say I’m a nomadic consultant. Your local police force, plus the Wildlife Service and the refuge center wanted my attention here.” His voice was very matter of fact.
“Oh.” He wasn’t being boastful or arrogant. If he was what he said he was, and he was what he smelled like…then he would know about what I was in great depth.
I was starting to love the way he moved. I wanted him to come closer to me. But then I wondered if he would try and put me in a cage. I wondered if anyone ever tried to put him in a cage. I didn’t think those animals in cages were shifters. I think they were just abused, beautiful, wild animals who needed some help. Daniel crossed his arms and I took a good look.
I refused to go all weak and gooey just because a nice set of biceps flexed at me. Long as he doesn’t touch me or try to go behind me, it’s fine. I won’t bite him.
My legs and arms were going hot again and my mouth watered. Stop that, Mira. My animal really wanted to come out. It sucked being out here in the woods, having to hide and observe all this decorum. We should go to a more human place.
“You can come nearer the house and have a look around the lawn. I’ll show you where I was when I saw him.” Where I pounced on him and purposely pulled his boney limbs the wrong way.
“Thank you. I was going to request that. It’s my job to scope the whole area.”
I breathed in sharply. “You can come inside my place if it helps you at all.”
He looked at me warily. I felt panic beginning to rise. I do not invite people over. Was he scared of me? That just occurred to me. I didn’t want to hurt him. But I could tell he was a bit taken aback by the blatant invitation.
“Only if you are okay with me being inside your home.” His voice was low. His lips were peach toned. Peach with heavy light brown stubble. Every inch of him was beautifully coloured and shaped. I couldn’t stop scanning him. Drinking his colours in with my eyes. I looked at his hands. They looked nice and rough, all peachy and tan.
“Yes, that’s fine.” Why did I say that? There was a part of me screaming at myself for allowing this vulnerability.
“Do you have some sort of identification? How do I know you aren’t another predator of some type?”
His smile turned up again and he turned his head so that I could see his jaw perfectly. So nice. Strong but not arrogant or cruel. Boy, that’s rare in good looking guys. Normally those guys prance around like
peacocks who’ve just won the lottery.
He dug in his pockets and showed me his wallet: ‘Daniel Lions – United States Fish and Wildlife Service.’ He showed me his university ID from New Mexico and his Florida driver’s license. Then he pulled out another ID that was an access card for an exotic cat refuge in Indiana. He’d obviously spent a lot of time out West. He told me about some time up in Canada too. Where mountain lions would usually live, but he wasn’t quite as familiar with Wisconsin.
“I can show you my passport too, if you would like?” He grabbed a backpack containing some scientific equipment and a couple of cameras.
I looked him up and down and took a deep breath in as I made up my mind. “No, I believe you. Come on, it’s just this way. I was told a wildlife expert was going to come and talk to me.”
He nodded as he grabbed his bag and threw it over his back. I was hot and unbalanced.
“You want to finish your run?” he asked.
“Well…yes.” Yes and no. I was nervous about running near him. Next to him. I wasn’t sure if I could control myself.
“I will try and keep up with you.” Glad you think this is funny. I looked down at the size and shape of his legs. He had one of those lean torsos with broad shoulders that tapered out. He looked around my age, maybe slightly older. That’s one way he couldn’t accuse me of being a cougar. I scoffed and tried to cover it up as a cough.
“Something funny?” he said.
“No, nothing. Sorry, let’s go.” I broke into a run, tempted by speed. The wind felt so good. The fragrance of the woods, the scurrying little feet below and beating wings above. It all opened up for me. Exhilarating. But then hot skin and a deeper breath was close, too close to me. Panic rose but then recognition.
He’d kept up with me. I feared a comment or maybe something worse. But he said nothing.
We broke into a run. I’m around 5’2” so I probably looked ridiculous next to him. Our breathing became a little heavier. My panting was not the result of being ‘out of breath,’ rather it was a control technique. Self control. Don’t change. Don’t shift, whatever you do. That’s what it was. But Daniel’s breathing was the same, a control technique. His smell next to me intensified.