Ginger Snap Cat

The lion had enough. Between the horned alpha and the snarling, biting youth he had thought an easy target, this little corner of the canyon was way too much for the beast, and he turned tail and ran.

Eligos nearly went after him - this lion had already proved itself a threat and it was far too close to Aerie's border for comfort. If he had had other Aerie warriors with him, he would have pursued and put the cat down. But a single glance at the boy next to him checked the impulse. There would be time enough to track the lion and end this, once he had the boy safely home. The malinois would be watching it to be sure it didn't return this way.

"Are you all right?" he asked the boy gruffly, finally turning his attention to him completely. He wasn't one of Paradise's litter, he would have recognized that coat if he had seen it, so the boy must be one of Ina's mysterious litter.