Shifting

by Shifting (anth. )(Rob Knight Editor)(Torquere)(lit)

  The man nodded. "Can you... move him away a little? So I can get my things?"

  Nodding, Malik took Rishi some distance away, kneeling before him, and speaking in the man-tongue Rishi knew. "I want you to go into the jungle, Rishi. I will take the man, then return for you."

  Rishi growled, shaking that big head. His hand was taken carefully in that toothy mouth, Rishi tugging, the message clear. Come with me. Come home. How he wanted to just leave the man, go back with Rishi and be his real self. "I promised him, Rishi."

  Another soft growlwhimper. Another tug. No. No, Come home.

  Malik tried very hard not to roar his frustration. He would rather be sleeping. Or swimming. It was hot, and the flies were fierce on his naked skin and the stench of man was all over. "Do as I say."

  The man made a noise. "Oh Lord, he's going to eat you!"

  Rishi turned and growled at the man, the sound frustrated and scared, tired.

  Malik sighed once more. "No. He simply does not trust you, and wants me to leave with him. Are you ready?"

  "Let me just..." The man pointed toward a small boxlike object and went for it with unsteady steps.

  The man wobbled and Rishi growled, and Malik shook his head. This was going to be a long trip.

  ~Chapter Three~

  He did not like the mans.

  Or the box.

  Or the burning fire.

  Or leaving their Rock.

  Or that his Raj would not be Real.

  Rishi did not like that his Raj would not groom him.

  Or lick him.

  Or purr for him.

  He trudged behind them, growling and snarling and snapping.

  Of course, Malik did not like that Rishi was following, now did he?

  Well, ha!

  Rishi was.

  The man and Malik went before him, Malik cutting a path through the jungle and the man staggering along, and every so often the man would sit down and sleep and Malik would come and scold him, tell him to wait behind.

  He would not.

  No.

  Not at all.

  What if the mans caught his Raj?

  Rishi might not hear from the Rock. Rishi might think his Raj's cry was a night-bird. What if the mans were bad to his Malik and poked his most fine mate with a hard, pokey-stick?

  No. No, he would not wait. Rishi would go and defend his Raj while he pretended to be a man.

  Malik stopped, wiping wetness from his face and speaking to the man for a moment. Then Malik was there, in front of him. "You make the man very nervous, Rishi."

  Rishi blinked.

  Of course he did. He was Real.

  Strong.

  Pointed.

  Silly Malik.

  "Come and walk with us. That way he will not be worried you will attack us from behind."

  He nuzzled Malik's hip, padding up to walk with the skinny man and his Raj.

  "Oh. Oh, he's really very big, isn't he?"

  Rishi strutted.

  Yes. Yes, he was.

  "Quite beautiful too, really. In a very... scary way."

  Well, the man might be horrid, but he was not blind and had very good taste.

  "Yes. He is the most handsome young cat in the jungle. A very fine m... cat." Malik sounded very proud.

  Oh.

  Oh!

  He purred as loud as he could, letting his Malik know how happy that made him. His Raj was so good, so handsome -- well, for a man -- so strong.

  "You're sure he isn't going to eat me, though -- he looks hungry." The man stopped, sitting suddenly on the ground. "He must be hungry. I know I am."

  "You have no food in your box?" His Raj frowned at the man, and that frown was not at all as fearsome as Malik's roar.

  "What? Oh, no. This is only a change of clothes, my bible. A razor." The man sighed. "Is it much longer?"

  They should eat the man and go home.

  The poor skinny man was suffering.

  It would be merciful.

  "At least two days. Do you not remember how long it took to get here?" His Raj sighed, a sound that was becoming familiar and looked about in the trees, finally sighting something. Rishi got a stern glance. "Do not chew on him." Then Malik was shimmying up a tree.

  "We took a rather roundabout... hello? Oh dear. Malik? Oh my." The man swallowed and looked at him with very large eyes. "Nice kitty."

  There was a very fine line between biting and chewing...

  He looked at the man and rumbled.

  The man blinked and grew even paler than he already was. "Malik..."

  His Raj was back much too soon, pulling his tail. "Stop that, Rishi. Here. Fruit."

  Rishi swished his tail hard.

  Oh. He hated that.

  Hated that.

  The man reached with a trembling hand, taking the fruit and eating it like he had not fed in days.

  Three fruits were eaten very very quickly and then suddenly the man went green and turned, making horrible noises and pushing food out of his mouth.

  Rishi looked at his Raj.

  Okay, maybe they shouldn't eat him.

  "You must not eat so fast." The sigh came again. "I will get you some water, you can try again."

  The man was shaking his head and holding out a thin, shaking hand. "I fear I shan't make it much farther. I dare say the water will only prolong the inevitable." The man hunched in on himself. "I would prefer not to be eaten, so if you could bury my body, I would be most grateful."

  If the man wasn't careful, Malik would eat the skinny thing. Chomp.

  His Raj was not the most patient of beasts.

  Rishi chuffed pleasantly. It would be good to watch.

  Instead of changing to his right form and biting down on the man, Malik frowned again, very mightily and went to get water. "I said I would take you to the man city. I will. And you will live to see it."

  Oh, no fair!

  Rishi stomped over to the man, looking at him closely. He did not bite -- partially because this man had been kind to him, but mostly because Malik would be very angry if he did what he was told not to.

  "Are you going to eat me?" whispered the man. "I don't think I really mind anymore -- but if you do, could I beg of you the favor to make it quick, please. I would rather not hurt longer than necessary."

  Silly man. Malik said no.

  Rishi yawned, showing his teeth, then plopped onto the ground beside the man.

  Malik came back. "You will not die. You will drink and then you will sleep and then try to eat. Here."

  His Raj was so smart. A little grouchy, but so smart. He lifted his head, sniffing at the water. Maybe they could swim, him and Malik. Malik liked swimming and splashing.

  The man took the water with a trembling hand. "I exonerate you of your promise. Just leave me."

  That made his Raj growl, the half human sound still making his hackles rise. "I will take you there if I must drag you."

  Oh, dragging sounded almost fun!

  The man blinked. "I beg your pardon?"

  "I make a promise. I do not go back." Malik urged the cup to the man's lips. "Drink, then rest. Then you will eat and we will go." His Raj nodded firmly, the whole thing decided.

  The man sighed heavily and allowed himself to be forced into drinking.

  Rishi harrumphed and put his chin back on his paws.

  He supposed this meant no dragging.

  When the man was done drinking, Malik helped him to make a pallet, and cover himself so the insects would not crawl on him. "Rest now," he told the man. "You will feel better when you wake."

  The man sighed again. "If I wake."

  Rishi was going to bite the man's backside if it sighed one more time.

  One. More. Time.

  He thought maybe he would have to fight his Raj for the pleasure. The look on Malik's face was long suffering. "Sleep now."

  The man's eyes closed, another sigh coming from him.

  Rishi bared his teeth, mouth opening for a nice, healthy chomp whe
n Malik gave him a look.

  One of those 'don't make me drown you, cub' looks.

  The man was snoring lightly when Malik motioned him away, reaching the edge of the water before that sleek human body shimmered, becoming the finest most wonderful tiger ever.

  He made a soft, needy sound, almost hurting with happiness, with love.

  Malik grumbled loudly and began sniffing and licking, not so much grooming him as checking for injury. So good to him, his Raj.

  Grumpy, but good.

  Rishi chirruped and rumbled, purred and called, letting his Raj know how happy he was to be found, to be free. He told of the badmeannasty man, of the thorns they hit him with that made the sky grey, of the horrible, hard, scary box.

  Of how he knew his Raj would find him.

  In return his Raj told of his fury, of tearing the man who was the owner of the box limb from limb, of his need to see Rishi alive and well. All the while Malik nuzzled and tasted and made sure he was whole.

  Finally they told their stories, purring together, bodies rumbling, vibrating, Rishi licking at his Raj's paw, his Raj's chin, his Raj's ruff.

  Malik chuffed at him, nipping his nose before wading into the water with a grunt of sheer happiness.

  Rishi bounced into the water, not even minding the splashing. He was free!

  With his Raj!

  Well, as soon as they delivered the Man to his city. He didn't see why they couldn't just eat him.

  ***

  The water was good. So so good after the heat and the bugs and Malik did not want to leave it. Or Rishi. They played and splashed and Rishi did not even pout as water got in their eyes, which meant his young one had indeed been afraid. But he had heard, and had come, and there was no more box or pointy stick.

  They did have a man, though. One who was tired and weak from thirst and hunger. Malik was very angry at himself for not remembering that men had to eat more often than he. He hoped the man did not get a fever.

  With a sigh and one last splash at Rishi, Malik waded out of the water, letting the breeze cool him, stretching his muscles. He had to enjoy the feel of his real self before he went back to man form.

  Rishi followed him, worrying and fretting. Rishi was worried about them traveling with the man, worried about moving away from their home -- their rocks and their pond. More than all of that? His Rishi was worried about him traveling as a man. His dear young one still found it difficult to understand the man-form, the man-speak, his Rishi would go season after season and never lose the real self.

  The rocks and the pool would be theirs still when they returned. All who dwelled near knew it was theirs and would not intrude. And Malik was not worried about his real self being lost, though he did not know how to tell Rishi that.

  He worried more about Rishi getting shot by the Eeenglish guns.

  With an apologetic growl, Malik thought hard of a man's body, and felt himself shrink to fill it. He pushed his wet hair back and set about gathering roots and leaves to make the man a broth.

  He hadn't been working long when he heard the rough murmur. "Mmmmmal?" Then Rishi with his too-bright eyes and his striped hair appeared, walking upright.

  "Rishi!" Malik blinked, then smiled. He knew how hard it was for Rishi to be as they were now, and he was all the more touched for it. "Love."

  Rishi nodded, moving into his arms. "Lllllove. Love."

  They shared a warm, damp kiss that made his belly tight. Oh, his Rishi felt good against him. Malik stroked and petted, licking the skin of Rishi's neck.

  "I must tend to the man, Rishi."

  "Man sleepsssss," Rishi purred, head falling back, offering him the vulnerable throat.

  "Mmm." He purred, tasting the salt and musk of Rishi, rubbing against his young one's belly. So good.

  Curious hands explored his chest, his shoulders. Rishi patted and stroked, all the while making happy, needy little sounds, the scent of want strong. His own need grew, his Rishi making him hot, making him ache, and he pushed Rishi against a tree, kissing very hard. Rishi stretched out against him, rocking and pushing, humping against his leg with loud, deep barking cries that pushed into his mouth.

  "Shhh." They should not wake the man, but Malik could do no more than that to keep Rishi quiet. It was too much; they had been without too long.

  Malik pushed his hand between them, grasping Rishi's shaft and pulling. The young one grew stiff for a heartbeat, eyes wide, then fingers wrapped around his heat, mimicking his motions, pleasuring him. He all but roared, biting deep into Rishi's shoulder to stop the sound, heat splashing between them, on their closed fists.

  "Mal! Rrrrrrrrrrrrraj!" Rishi's cry was a roar, rich and happy, filled with praises for him, filled with love. The scent of the young one's seed was heady, filling the air.

  Together they rested, breathing heavily, until he heard the man stir. Then Malik slapped Rishi's haunch and they splashed back into the water to clean before Malik returned to the man to feed him water and mashed fruit.

  He had to help the man sit up and then to eat because he was so weak. Rishi strolled up and began to groom himself, eyes watching them both until sleep took him. The man took some soft fruit, and more water, moaning a bit as Malik lowered him down. He felt a pang of sympathy for the man, who was not at all suited to his beloved jungle.

  Soon the man slept again, and Malik covered him carefully. Then he gave into his urge to go to Rishi and curl around that big body, so much bigger than he when he was a man, and nap a bit himself.

  The man would still be there when he woke. And then he would take the man home.

  ~Chapter Four~

  The walking was interminable. Surely it hadn't taken them this long to get into the wilds to start with? But then they'd had real guides and guards and he'd been terribly busy making sure Lord Ledringham's shirts were properly pressed.

  Not at all an easy task when one was so far removed from civilization.

  He'd not been as weak then either, food was easy to come by, water was carried by their guides, there had been other people around. Malik... while certainly he was another person, he was very laconic and strange. He was after all a native of the wilds, unlike their guides who lived part of their lives in the city.

  Still the man had not abandoned him, even when pressed to do so, unlike those guides. He sniffed. Obviously Malik was a better class. Lynn noted that the man carried himself quite regally, in fact. Possibly he was a chieftain's son, certainly someone of note among his people. And he had awesome command over the tiger. The tiger who, more and more, seemed a bit like a great big pussycat to Lynn. The beast slept as much as he did and seemed to dote on Malik. It had even stopped looking at him as if he would make a tasty appetizer.

  "Will it be very much longer?" he asked. What he wanted was another break, but if there was a promise of a bath within a few hours, he wanted to push on.

  Malik stopped and looked back at him, only then seeming to realize how far behind he had fallen. "It is still at least a day. You should rest."

  "A day?" Oh. He'd thought maybe he'd seen the smoke of fires ahead of them, perhaps the glint of sun off roofs. "Yes, if it is that long, I think I shall take a break."

  He set down his box and sat on it. Once sitting it occurred to him he might have looked for a spot of shade, but now that he was seated he could not be fussed to get up again. It seemed like far too much work.

  The tiger harrumphed and made an odd chittering noise, nose pointing into the tall grasses.

  Too bad Malik did not agree. The man came back to him and took his arm, hoisting him up and pulling both him and his box into the shade of a large, leafy tree. "You sit. I will get you water, yes?"

  "Please. I... I don't suppose the water is very far away? I'd give my right arm for a bath."

  "It smells close. Let me check to make sure it is safe, and if there are no other animals besides us, you may have one."

  "That's very kind of you, thank you."

  A short nod was his only reply, a
nd Malik gestured for the tiger to precede him before melting into the jungle.

  It occurred to him as he sat there waiting, that Malik could abandon him at any time and he would be at the mercy of the elements and whatever predators were out there. Of course, the man could have abandoned him already, really. And he did ask to be abandoned earlier. And these circular thoughts were only serving to make him quite mad.