by Natavia
“You don’t care,” she said.
“You’re right, but my father would,” I replied.
“He’s not here,” she said.
Lynx crawled over my shoulder then straddled me. She wrapped her arms around my neck and licked my lips. Her sharp teeth bit me, drawing a small spec of blood.
“I want you to fuck me, Eze. I need you inside me,” she said.
Maybe her scent will draw me in since my rebirth, I thought.
I smelled her arousal dripping from her center. Her scent wasn’t strong enough to cause my dick head to swell, but I figured it would change once she was fully in heat. Her perky breasts poked at my lip when I lifted her body up, so I gently bit her nipple and she moaned. Her nails scratched at my back and I rolled over on top of her. Instantly, I went between her legs to sniff her. Animal traits came out full-force during intimacy. Before a male pursues a female, he smells her pussy. I pinned Lynx’s legs up to her forehead and buried my nose in her. The door opened and it was Quanir.
“Bruh, the company car is outside waiting for you,” he said. I hurriedly pulled away from Lynx’s pussy and her essence dripped down my face. She covered herself up in her robe and stormed out of my bedroom.
“You were ready to bang that little cat, bruh,” Quanir laughed.
“I think Lynx didn’t reach puberty yet,” I replied.
“She looks grown to me,” he said.
“Yeah, but her cat is still considered a cub until she develops a scent that’ll attract a male. I don’t think she’s going in heat, she just wants me to sleep with her just ‘cause,” I replied.
“Watch out for her. Your father told you months ago you shouldn’t shack up with her and now she caught feelings for you,” he said.
“I just don’t want to hurt her spirit,” I replied.
“You’re just not attracted to her, shit happens. Now, get ready for work. You have a long day ahead of you. Oh, and I’m on payroll, just so you know,” he said.
“What?” I asked.
“Come on, cuz. Unc wasn’t trying to let me in on the business but I know you’ll look out for me. I’m tired of my boss, bro. I snuck into his house the other day and ate his pet bird. Don’t judge, I just hate the muthafucka,” he said.
“That’s because you’re lazy and don’t take nothing seriously, but because you’re my boy, I’ll look out for you. Get dressed, you’re coming to the office with me, and don’t let me down, Quanir. This business means a lot to our family. We have a tribe to protect,” I replied.
“Can I borrow your shoes?” he asked.
“Which ones?” I replied.
“The Gucci loafers,” he said, rubbing his hands together.
“Hurry up!” I spat.
I hurriedly showered then got dressed. I kissed Lynx’s forehead when I walked into the kitchen. She handed me my breakfast to-go. Every morning I ate two pounds of raw meat with a plant smoothie. Lynx wasn’t in a good mood—she was embarrassed.
“You’re not attracted to me, are you?” she asked.
“I think you’re beautiful and will make a great mate one day,” I replied.
“But just not your mate?” she asked.
“Our cats aren’t vibing, Lynx. Maybe she’s still trying to reach puberty. How about this, wait until you go in heat, and we can figure out what’s up,” I replied. I owed her that much because I cared about her.
“Okay,” she said sadly.
“Appreciate you,” I replied.
I love you, she thought, but I pretended not to hear.
“Appreciate you more and have a good day,” she said.
The driver got out of the Yukon and opened the back door for me when I walked out of the house. Quanir ran out of the house and slid into the back seat.
“You’re fucking up already,” I joked.
“I had to line my mustache up,” he replied. The driver closed the door. Quanir was rambling on about a human woman he was dating, but it fell upon deaf ears. I began thinking about the girl from the day before. Her scent, her wild mane, and the unique birthmark on her face. I knew I was going to see her again. I felt it.
Sy’Noba
One week later…
“I don’t think Koja will be too pleased with your earnings,” Toyi said as she counted the cash I gave her.
“I clean buildings! What do you expect? I’m not the one who wears fancy suits to work,” I said.
“Everyone else works two to three jobs. You’re the youngest one here besides the cubs, you should be able to work four jobs,” Toyi replied.
“Or you can get off your ass and work, too. Who are you to tell me what to do? You have no clout in this pride, you can barely hunt,” I said. She stood up from the table and slapped my face. Her sharp nails left three claw marks in my skin. Seconds later, the wounds on my face began to heal. Toyi backed away from me when I jumped on the table and knocked all the money she collected onto the floor. I could sense her fear; her cat wasn’t a match for mine.
“I’ll eat you for lunch if you touch me again,” I gritted. Asha came into the kitchen naked and sweaty. The scent of Koja was on her and the smell of intimacy permeated the air.
“What is going on? You two interrupted me and Koja,” Asha said.
“Sy’noba think she’s too good to work more jobs. We need the money in order to live comfortably. If not, we will have to return to Africa and live in the savanna with the rest of the lions. Lions that are not shifters,” Toyi said.
“It won’t hurt to work more jobs until Koja takes you as his wife. The others are doing it, and right now, you’re no different,” Asha said.
“Yes, my queen,” I gritted. She rubbed her face against mine and purred. It was our way of showing affection. Asha left the kitchen to finish what she and Koja were doing.
“I’ll create a few resumes for you and have them completed by morning. I can find you more jobs,” Toyi said. I stormed out of the house and ran deep into the woods. I was two hours away from home when I finally stopped. I climbed up a tree and rested on a branch. The woods were peaceful and quiet; not even a sound from a cricket. Tears welled up in my eyes as I stared at the moon. I had thoughts of the man I ran into a week ago. He was extremely handsome and dominant. I couldn’t forget his pretty hazel eyes with a tint of green in them. He wore a medallion I felt like I’d seen before, but maybe that was in another life. I was told cats lived more than one life, and I wondered how true that was. If I closed my eyes long enough, I’d see images of a temple deep in the jungle. A giggle slipped from my lips because I was a warrior, the only female to fight against intruders who tried to destroy my village. My powers were phenomenal because I was a healer and had the ability of making weapons from magic. Screams echoed inside my head when a big lion rampage my village and I killed it with my bare hands. During another battle, a warrior struck me in the face with a spear. On the tip of his spear was some kind of poison. Instead of it healing, it left a permanent scar—my birthmark. When I opened my eyes, those images went away. My life seemed to have many stories but I figured they were all just a part of my imagination. I wondered if I was the only one in the pride who created my own legacies to escape the real life I lived.
My stomach began to growl. Luckily, I could hunt without sharing with the pride. I leapt out of the tree and shifted. My cat’s large paws left prints in the soil when I landed on the ground. I smelled a farm a few miles away. When I finally approached the farm, I counted ten goats. It would take two to fill my appetite. I quietly jumped over the fence without alerting the smaller animals. When ready to strike, I smelled another animal in the area followed by low growls. Suddenly, I felt sharp teeth ripping at my neck—it was a different breed of lion. I slammed the animal into the fence and it groaned in pain. As hungry as I was, fighting was the least of my worries. I grabbed a goat and ran into the woods; sharp teeth sank into my leg. With the goat still in my mouth, I kicked the lion with my hind legs into a tree. It was a female lion; I knew because of the
structure of her face. She climbed up a tree and disappeared. The goat tried to get away, so I hurriedly snapped its neck and hid it behind a bush. The female lion was still near because I smelled her. She was watching me from the trees. My cat gave off a deep loud roar to alert her. I was prepared to battle if I had to. The tree above me rustled and a bird’s nest fell on my head. When I looked up, her eyes glowed as she watched me. She jumped from the branch and I tackled her onto the ground in mid-air. My nails opened her flesh and she backed away from me. Her body slowly began forming into human. It was a young girl who was probably around my age. She collapsed onto the ground and I shifted into my human form. I ran to her and she held her hand out.
“Don’t come near me!” she yelled.
“I can help you,” I replied.
“Bitch, I don’t want your help. I want you off this property! This farm is owned by Saber Enterprises and you are trespassing,” she said.
“I would put the goat back but it’s a little too late for that, don’t you think? Besides, you attacked me first, but in exchange for the goat, I can heal you,” I replied and she laughed.
“You can’t heal me. You’re a shifter like I am. I will heal in a few days,” she said. The wounds on her stomach were deep, almost to the bone. Her skin paled due to blood loss. I rushed to her and she hissed at me.
“Get off of me, bitch!” she yelled as I straddled her. I pinned her arms above her head and placed my mouth inches away from hers. She screamed as I sucked the air out of her lungs but I wasn’t killing her. Her skin pulled back together and the wounds were gone. The stranger picked up a rock and hit me with it, so I slammed my fist into her face and she flew into a tree.
“Don’t make me beat your ass. It’s clear that I’m the dominant one, pussy. I’ll eat your house cat-looking ass for dessert,” I said. She stood up and growled at me.
“What did you do to me?” she asked, balling up her fist.
“I cleansed your spirit,” I replied.
“What are you?” she asked.
“My name is Sy’noba. Your name is Lynx. You were born from two shapeshifter parents in a circus. They left you when you were a cub and from there you ended up in an orphanage with humans. Around eighteen, you left the orphanage and lived with regular human girls who were like your sisters. You went on a school trip to Alaska and was attacked by wild wolves. Your friends ended up dead and you were left to die until someone found you,” I replied.
“You’re a witch,” she spat.
“Call me what you want, Lynx. Now, can I eat in peace? Run along before I snap your neck,” I replied. Instead of leaving, she stood and watched me eat the goat. My nails were like knives as they cut into the goat’s flesh. I snatched out its lung and bit into it. Lynx’s stomach growled and I rolled my eyes at her. Sharing my food wasn’t new to me. I ripped off the goat’s leg and handed it to her. She sat on a rock and ate in silence. Moments later, she stared at me again.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Are you in a pride?” she asked.
“Why?” I replied.
“Most animals don’t share their meals when they are hungry. I heard your stomach growling miles away,” she said.
“There goes your answer,” I replied.
“My kind doesn’t have prides,” she said.
“Are you not a lion?” I replied and she chuckled.
“I’m a cougar. Well, mountain lion if you want to call me that. Are you from Africa?” she asked.
“Yes, I am. My ancestors lived in the savanna. Are you American?” I replied.
“Yup, but my ancestors lived in the mountains and practiced rituals. Shapeshifting was one of them. Practicing magic was the thing many ages ago, plus I always wanted to go to Africa,” she said.
“The images I have of my home are beautiful,” I replied.
“Where is your accent from?” she asked.
“I was brought here when I was a baby. I speak English,” I replied.
“How old are you?” she replied and I rolled my eyes.
“In human years, I’m twenty,” I said, irritated by all of her questions.
“I’ll be twenty soon. Are you in heat, yet?” she asked.
“I think your questions are getting too fucking personal,” I said.
“Geeesh, you ain’t gotta be a bitch about it. After all, I belong on this property and you are just an intruder. I can ask what I want. I have to make sure you aren’t coming around here sniffing for a mate. Eze is mine, so back off,” she warned me.
“Lynx, honey, don’t get above yourself. I’m not looking for a mate,” I replied and she crossed her arms.
“Good, because I’ll be his mate when I go in heat,” she said.
“Okay.” I shrugged my shoulders.
“LYNX!” a man’s voice called out. I sniffed the air and picked up a strong, tangy masculine scent. The scent almost knocked me over. Sweat formed on my skin when I inhaled again. The scent got closer then I heard animal growls coming from the bushes. In defense, I shifted, ready for another fight. A gigantic stripe-less tiger jumped in front of Lynx, shielding her from me. He thought she was in danger. The tiger’s gold canines were the length of my cat’s arm and he had a symbol embedded into his chest. Gold and green eyes glowed at me and I backed away in confusion. I saw his symbol in one of my visions.
“She’s cool, Eze, we just had a little misunderstanding,” Lynx said. I shifted into my human form. Although I was naked, my untamed hair hid my forbidden body parts. The tiger shifted to his human form and Lynx stood in front of him so I couldn’t see his dick.
“I saw you at my father’s office,” Eze said.
“I’m the cleaning girl,” I replied.
“So, you do know him,” Lynx said.
“I saw him once,” I replied.
“This is private property. Are there more of you?” he asked.
“No, I’m alone,” I said.
His eyes lustfully roamed over my body as if I were a meal. An unfamiliar throb pinched at my clit and his eyes glowed. It was the first time I had another use for my pussy besides urinating.
“Do you need more food?” Eze asked.
“No, I’m fine. Can I go or do you want to fight over the damage I’ve done to your property?” I replied and he chuckled. His gold canines sparkled when his full lips curved into a smirk.
“I don’t want your death on my hands but I respect your bravery,” his deep voice said. I shifted back into my cat and carried the rest of what was left of the carcass through the woods. When I arrived home, the sun was peaking from behind the clouds. Asha’s son was in front of the house playing around with an old tire.
“Aunt, Nobaaaaaaa,” Mekah yelled out. He was Koja and Asha’s oldest cub. He had two younger sisters named Ji-Ji and Syra. Mekah ran into me and gave me a hug. I kissed his cheek and he playfully wiped it off.
“The pride was looking for you,” he said.
“I brought you and your sisters something but you cannot tell anybody. Look behind the tree over there,” I pointed. He sniffed the air and his eyes changed into cat eyes.
“You better get to it before the others smell the blood,” I scolded him.
“Thank you, Noba,” he said, and hugged me again.
Mekah whispered in his sister’s ears when they came out of the house and they took off running towards the tree. Lupe was coming from the basement when I walked into the house. He had scratches on his chest and reeked of sex. The sight of him angered my cat. He spent most of the time in the basement sleeping with different females, usually two at a time. Jinsi and Riya came through the back door and they were giggling about something. Riya smacked her teeth when she saw me watching them. I thought she didn’t like me because Koja wasn’t interested in her. The picture was clear, she and Jinsi had something going on and she thought I was a threat to them.
“Good morning, beautiful,” Jinsi said to me and I ignored him. I headed to the basement and he followed behind me. The females were
folding laundry and a few were getting ready for work. I went to the small bedroom I shared with two other females. There was a total of four small bedrooms in the basement. Imagine cramping two to three people inside of each bedroom—animals at that. Jinsi stood in the doorway of my bedroom while I grabbed a few things for the shower. I realized my panties were missing.
“Who stole my fucking panties?” I screamed out in frustration. We couldn’t shop for ourselves, Toyi had to buy our clothes from discount stores. Every two months, we were awarded a new outfit. I figured out a way to make clothes, accessories, and many other things but my panties were the one thing I had of value. Elsey came into the room brushing her teeth with my panties on.
