gone? He could take little comfort in the fact that the big cat’s attention was on him when he wasn’t sure if Sarah was safe. He’d tussled with this cranky-ass kitty plenty of times, and it was usually a pissing contest of sorts, but the old bag-of-fur was a dirty fighter.
Erik found it strange that the old mountain lion had come this far into his territory, when every other time they’d met it was on the outskirts of his land while hunting. The somewhat glassy look in the cat’s golden eyes didn’t bode well either.
This was one sick kitty.
The lion was crouched, ready to spring, when a blur of blonde fur dove onto its back. Sarah clamped her jaws into its neck as it bucked then rolled in its attempts to disengage her.
Erik stood frozen for a moment in utter shock. Sarah was having the time of her life! He sensed how much she enjoyed the fight, how much fun she was having, but this cat was clearly sick, possibly even rabid.
Was she insane?
Probably, but damn, she was beautiful in action. Seeing all that lean muscle bunching and straining under her caramel fur while she clung to the cat’s back was like watching some sort of lethal dance.
She was smart enough to know if she lost her grip then she’d lose her advantage. Erik simply sat on his haunches, tongue lolling out to the side and enjoyed the show. He felt her amusement up until the cat managed to smash them into the rocks, and her muffled yelp spurred him into action.
She nearly released the big cat. He sensed her pain, was sure it centered mostly in her ribs, and Erik knew her grip would suffer. Sarah tightened her jaws and gave a little shake and, when the beast threw its head back to roar in pain, Erik shot forward to sink his teeth into the exposed throat.
Warm blood sprayed as he tore a slab of flesh free. He watched a shocked expression flash through the feline’s eyes before it finally collapsed to the ground.
Erik moved to Sarah’s side as she stared at the still form before her. The guilt and remorse that he felt from her was surprising considering the attack she’d launched. She gave him a quick sideways glance before walking over to the stream with her tail low and her head down.
Upon reaching the waters edge, she sat, shifted to human and pulled her knees to her chest. Erik did the same, settling next to her on the cold bank.
“You don’t need to feel guilty, Sarah.”
“I just wanted to scare it into leaving,” she murmured. “That mountain lion should have bolted once it knew two wolves were here, but it didn’t.” She was upset, and Erik knew she wasn’t aware of the cat’s condition.
“He was sick, Sarah,” he explained. “I’ve scrapped with him several times, but always on the outskirts of my property. He’s never ventured this far into my land.”
Sarah shivered in the chilly fall air, and Erik put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side and lending her his warmth. “Just because he came into your territory, it doesn’t mean he was sick,” she argued.
“You didn’t see his eyes. They were glazed and unfocused, not to mention the fact that every other time we’ve encountered each other it’s been a direct challenge. This time, he was actually hunting, with me as his prey.” As he shook his head in disbelief, he felt her irritation rising.
“If you’d been paying attention, this whole thing could have been avoided,” she snarled.
“Excuse me?” She was mad at him?
“I growled at you! I tried to warn you, and you practically laughed at me before going out in the open.” Sarah was almost seething. He felt her emotions reaching a boiling point. “I spotted that damn cat when you were halfway across the field, but I knew we were being watched. I felt it like an itch on the back of my neck. For God’s sake, I thought that fucking feline was about to maul you!”
“So you came to my rescue?” He smiled at her. “You had me scared for a second there, too, you know? I couldn’t
Erik found it strange that the old mountain lion had come this far into his territory, when every other time they’d met it was on the outskirts of his land while hunting. The somewhat glassy look in the cat’s golden eyes didn’t bode well either.
This was one sick kitty.
The lion was crouched, ready to spring, when a blur of blonde fur dove onto its back. Sarah clamped her jaws into its neck as it bucked then rolled in its attempts to disengage her.
Erik stood frozen for a moment in utter shock. Sarah was having the time of her life! He sensed how much she enjoyed the fight, how much fun she was having, but this cat was clearly sick, possibly even rabid.
Was she insane?
Probably, but damn, she was beautiful in action. Seeing all that lean muscle bunching and straining under her caramel fur while she clung to the cat’s back was like watching some sort of lethal dance.
She was smart enough to know if she lost her grip then she’d lose her advantage. Erik simply sat on his haunches, tongue lolling out to the side and enjoyed the show. He felt her amusement up until the cat managed to smash them into the rocks, and her muffled yelp spurred him into action.
She nearly released the big cat. He sensed her pain, was sure it centered mostly in her ribs, and Erik knew her grip would suffer. Sarah tightened her jaws and gave a little shake and, when the beast threw its head back to roar in pain, Erik shot forward to sink his teeth into the exposed throat.
Warm blood sprayed as he tore a slab of flesh free. He watched a shocked expression flash through the feline’s eyes before it finally collapsed to the ground.
Erik moved to Sarah’s side as she stared at the still form before her. The guilt and remorse that he felt from her was surprising considering the attack she’d launched. She gave him a quick sideways glance before walking over to the stream with her tail low and her head down.
Upon reaching the waters edge, she sat, shifted to human and pulled her knees to her chest. Erik did the same, settling next to her on the cold bank.
“You don’t need to feel guilty, Sarah.”
“I just wanted to scare it into leaving,” she murmured. “That mountain lion should have bolted once it knew two wolves were here, but it didn’t.” She was upset, and Erik knew she wasn’t aware of the cat’s condition.
“He was sick, Sarah,” he explained. “I’ve scrapped with him several times, but always on the outskirts of my property. He’s never ventured this far into my land.”
Sarah shivered in the chilly fall air, and Erik put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side and lending her his warmth. “Just because he came into your territory, it doesn’t mean he was sick,” she argued.
“You didn’t see his eyes. They were glazed and unfocused, not to mention the fact that every other time we’ve encountered each other it’s been a direct challenge. This time, he was actually hunting, with me as his prey.” As he shook his head in disbelief, he felt her irritation rising.
“If you’d been paying attention, this whole thing could have been avoided,” she snarled.
“Excuse me?” She was mad at him?
“I growled at you! I tried to warn you, and you practically laughed at me before going out in the open.” Sarah was almost seething. He felt her emotions reaching a boiling point. “I spotted that damn cat when you were halfway across the field, but I knew we were being watched. I felt it like an itch on the back of my neck. For God’s sake, I thought that fucking feline was about to maul you!”
“So you came to my rescue?” He smiled at her. “You had me scared for a second there, too, you know? I couldn’t
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