by Natavia
“I don’t understand half of this shit,” I said aloud. Quanir came into the library smoking a blunt with a bottle of Henny in his hand. He was wearing my Gucci robe with the matching slippers.
“Seriously?” I asked.
“Yo, you got the best closet. What’s up with you? Tryin’ to go to the club tonight?” he asked.
“As much as I miss my old life, I can’t. I gotta take care of this,” I said, rubbing my head.
“Go on to Tiban. I’ll take care of everything here. I know about the deal with Russel and Gwan. I can go through Alexander’s old notes to see how he did things. I’m trying to get a real chance,” he said with seriousness.
“I’m nervous,” I chuckled.
“I just want to prove to Alexander that I can be responsible. I can only do three days, though. Plus, you have a few meetings then. I’ll leave all that up to you,” he said.
“Don’t let me down, cuz. I mean it! I want you at the desk on time, nine o’clock sharp. And make sure you iron your clothes. Oh, and here. Get yourself some fresh stuff.” I handed Quanir a credit card and his face lit up.
“What’s the spending limit?” he asked.
“No limit, do your thing,” I replied.
“Can I drive the Bugatti, too?” he asked.
“Go ahead but make sure you don’t leave any panties in my car, cuz,” I replied and slapped hands with him.
“No doubt, but what do you want to do about Lynx? Do you think she knows what’s behind the picture?” he asked.
“Naw, she was attacking you when Sy’noba disappeared, plus I told her it was a secret entry to the basement. Lynx is very prissy, she’s not trying to go down there and scuff up her thousand-dollar heels,” I chuckled.
“What were you thinking fucking her? I mean she’s so childish,” Quanir said.
“Look who’s talking, but it wasn’t like that. I honestly forgot what happened that night. It seemed like I was drunk or something, I just wasn’t myself,” I replied.
“She probably drugged you,” he said.
“Naw, it was something else. I can’t put my finger on it right now, but listen carefully. I do not want Lynx in this library while I’m not here. So, as soon as you leave out, board it up,” I replied.
“I gotcha, cuz,” he said.
“Aight then, I’m gone,” I replied. Quanir moved the picture of my father on the wall.
“Three days, Eze!” Quanir called out as I climbed into the tunnel. He covered the hole with the picture and it was completely dark. My cat eyes glowed for guidance.
“Fuck this,” I mumbled. Instead of crawling downwards, I laid on my back and slid down the long spiraling tunnel. Minutes later, my body slammed into the stone wall and dislocated my shoulder. After I snapped my shoulder back in place, I pushed the stone wall back and climbed out. The jungle was quiet, not a villager in site. A slight wind breezed past my face and I caught a whiff of Sy’noba’s scent. I shifted into my animal then followed her trail. My heavy paws thumped across the ground, leaving paw prints as I ran deeper into the jungle.
Sy’noba
A fter two and a half days, we finally made it to Y’kiki’s forest. A tall statue of a lion overlooked the forest. The stone statue had gold and emerald eyes. It matched the lion emblem on my necklace.
“Welcome to Y’kiki. We named the forest after her,” Ockbutu said. The roaring lion statue mouth was a waterfall. Flowers and plants decorated the crown of the lion’s head and the nails on the lion were made out of gold. The trees were taller than the trees in Tiban. If you looked all the way up, the top of the trees disappeared in the clouds.
“The tribe will stay out here to set up for the ceremony. I will walk you to the temple,” Ockbutu said. Safari waved at me and I waved back at her as I walked away. I held Ockbutu’s hand because he wouldn’t have made it up the hill without me. When we stepped into the temple, another statue of a lion’s eyes glowed. In front of us was a ten-foot tall statue of Sekhmet. She had a spear in both hands with symbols written all over her.
“She’s beautiful,” I said.
“She is your god. Y’kiki lived out her legacy and now you’ll do the same. Kneel in front of her and she will speak to you. You will feel her presence,” Ockbutu said. I kneeled in front of the statue and closed my eyes. A strong gust of wind came into the temple and almost blew me away. My nails sharpened and dug into the cracks on the floor to keep myself grounded. Ockbutu almost blew out of the temple but I caught him by the leg and pulled him closer to me. Ockbutu froze as time stood still. I looked around me and the leaves that were blowing were frozen, too. A shadow emerged from the statue and her long braid dragged behind her. She wore a gold shimmery gown with beads around her hips. I stood up and noticed we looked identical but she was a shade darker than me. Her skin was rich and smooth with a golden hue. We had the same eyes and the same birthmark on our cheek.
“Welcome home, Sy’noba,” she said in a heavy accent.
“Y’kiki?” I asked.
“Yes,” she replied. She cupped my face and stared into my eyes.
“Do you know who you are now?” she asked.
“Yes,” I replied.
“Come with me,” she said.
She walked away and I followed her through an entry on the other side of the temple. We were inside of a small forest with a beautiful lake. Tropical birds drank from the lake along with other smaller animals.
“I’ve been away for many years and this place is just as beautiful,” she said, sniffing the air.
“How did you die?” I asked and she smiled at me.
“I’m not dead. I’m in a place where my spirit can roam freely. I served my god and she granted me a life outside of this world. When I begin to miss it, my spirit breezes through the forest like a wind,” she said.
“Do you have any cubs?” I asked.
“No cubs and no mate. Just me protecting my tribe, our land, and of course, you. I have been watching over you until this moment but I didn’t want to make you weak so some things I didn’t help you with. The only way you can survive is being torn down until you have nothing. Having nothing will make you fight harder. Koja’s tribe was a test, a strategy to make you the warrior you are now. My family was killed by a lion, the biggest lion I had ever seen. I killed it with my bare hands, snatched his eyes out first then he swallowed me. My life was slipping away, my wounds were deep, and I lost so much blood. While I was in his stomach, I saw my mother’s necklace. Rage filled my heart and I began tearing at his insides with my fingernails until he spit me out. I sat and watched him die—we were both dying. When I was ready to have my final breath, our god came to me and breathed air back into my body. She made me immortal. Instead of love and mating, I spent my life making sure my tribe didn’t get slaughtered the same way my family did. Many stories have been told about me, but this is the truth,” she said.
“Where do shapeshifters come from?” I asked and she giggled.
“Cats have nine lives. What do you think happens every time a cat is reborn again?” she asked.
“It comes back as a human?” I asked.
“A cat’s life can come back as any kind of life. The trees, the flowers, the birds. Anything. But when it comes back as a human, the human possesses two spirits. The second spirit is the cat we turn into. Being immortal is a gift, not a curse,” she said.
“No wonder there are many species of cats here,” I replied.
“But we are still one tribe,” she said.
Y’kiki held my hand and my palm glowed.
“You will be a great warrior, mate, and mother,” she replied.
“I’m not sure if I want any cubs,” I said and she huffed.
“Cubs are in your future and so is love. I wish I can share more but you have to learn how to find your own path. Every king deserves a queen. I have to go home now. The truth is right in front of you. All you have to do is remember,” she said before she disappeared.
Ockbutu was getting of
f the floor when I walked back into the temple.
“I must’ve fallen asleep or something. Did you talk to Y’kiki?” he said, looking around in confusion.
“I felt her through the wind,” I replied.
“I knew you would. Now, go bathe so we can celebrate,” he said. He went inside his bag and gave me a beautiful handstitched gown.
“Thank you,” I replied.
I watched Ockbutu until he walked out of the temple. The garden behind the temple was a peaceful place to take a bath in. The water was clean and pure and smelled like the flowers and plants from the earth. I undressed and stepped into the water. The bushes behind me rustled and I covered my breasts. I sniffed the air and smelled another cat.
“Who’s there?” I called out.
A male lion jumped out of the flower bush and roared. In a quick reflex, I snatched the end of my hair and it formed a spear. His heavy paws dug into the grass as he ran towards me. I hurled the spear and it slammed into his shoulder. He fell over into the lake and I formed another spear. My feet stepped over the rocks at the bottom of the lake as I slowly glided towards the lion.
“WAIT!” the deep voice called out while I aimed my spear at him. He was in human form. His thick locs stopped at his shoulders and he was the color of sand. His hazel eyes pierced through mine and the wound on his shoulder was bleeding profusely. His pink full lips turned into a snarl and he growled at me.
“Who are you? Speak now before I kill you!” I yelled at him.
“Who are you and what are you doing in my territory?” he asked.
“This is my home,” I replied.
“That’s bullshit! I’ve never seen you before,” he said.
“This place belongs to me. Do I have to show you who I am?” I asked, forming another spear. Deep roars came from the top of the trees. When I looked up, there were twelve lions crawling down. I was surrounded by them. I knew they weren’t from Tiban because of the symbols on their bodies. A female lion shifted into human form. Although she looked young, I could tell by her eyes she was older than the rest of her pride.
“Excuse my son for his disrespect,” she called out to me. I lowered my spears when she bowed her head to me.
“My name is Tika and we belonged to the tribe of Y’kiki. We have been guarding her temple for decades. You look a little too young to be the queen,” she said.
“So, you know who I am. Maybe you should teach your son some manners. I was trying to take a bath,” I replied.
“I knew who you were the moment your hair formed a spear. We’ve been praying for many years on Y’kiki’s return. I wasn’t expecting a young lioness,” she said. More lions came down the trees and stood behind Tika. I could tell she took over the role of queen because of the way they protected her. Her son crawled out of the lake and fell into the grass. A female in their pride shifted into her human form and ran to him.
“I can heal him,” I called out.
“No, he’s a strong warrior. He can heal on his own,” Tika said.
“Sy’noba! Is everything okay?” I heard Safari’s voice. She came out of the temple and saw me surrounded by a pride. Safari pulled out two daggers from her sack. Her eyes glowed and her teeth sharpened. Her leopard spots appeared on her face and a loud hiss echoed throughout the forest. She jumped into the lake and landed beside me.
Who are these outsiders? Are they trying to attack you? she thought.
No, they are a part of Y’kiki’s tribe—my tribe, I replied and she lowered the daggers. Tika’s son stood up and a female wrapped something around his waist to cover him up.
Damn, he’s hung like an elephant! Safari thought and I nudged her.
You are the only hot-in-the-ass virgin I know, I thought.
Welcome to the cat world, honey, she laughed.
“My name is Naji. Excuse my behavior. I didn’t mean to disturb you but welcome home, Queen,” he said.
Ohhhhh, he’s handsome. I think his eyes are glowing at you, Safari thought.
“Sy’noba’s ceremony will start soon, so she must get ready now,” Safari called out.
“We will be there,” Tika said nonchalantly. She disappeared into the forest and her pride followed behind her. I could sense her spirit; she wasn’t happy about me coming to Y’kiki’s forest.
“Do you need help with your bath? It’s the least I can do?” Naji smiled at me.
“I still have one more spear to give to you. Do you want it?” I asked and he smirked.
“Fearless, it brings out your beauty. I’m Prince Naji by the way. My father is the king of our pride and I think my mother might be a little jealous with a beautiful lioness coming near our home,” he said.
“How did you and your pride get here?” I asked.
“Y’kiki brought my ancestors and a few others in through the portal in Africa. I was born here,” he said.
“Why not go to Tiban with the rest? Why are you separated?” I asked.
“You know the answer to that, lions are not as social as others. We believe in the same god but we’d rather live on the outside. We are no different than the sabers,” he said.
“How do you eat?” Safari asked him.
“There are other animals in the jungle like wild hogs. The food is here, but I guess Tiban is a little too lazy to venture out and find it,” he said.
“We aren’t lazy! It will take us three days to travel for food and bring it back. That’s almost a week!” Safari yelled at him and he chuckled.
“No need to get hostile, I call it like I see it. We go out and hunt for our food. The sabers got you all so spoiled you don’t know how to survive,” he said.
“You shouldn’t speak on what you don’t know. Those tribes believe in one thing: surviving. How would you feel if they hunted here? There are many in Tiban. They will leave your pride without food, so be thankful the sabers are supplying livestock,” I replied and his eyes softened. The wound on his shoulder was bleeding badly and I wanted to help him.
“Let me help you,” I said.
“Let him bleed,” Safari whispered.
“Stop being so mean,” I replied and she rolled her eyes.
“I will heal by tonight,” he said and walked away.
“It’s something about that pride I don’t trust,” Safari said.
“Coming from a pride, I’m familiar with the rules. Naji only knows what he’s been taught. I’m changing the rules, the males controlling their prides will end now. Prides are supposed to be about love, security, and family. Not using others to fetch food and mate against their will. This shit gotta end!” I replied and Safari smiled.
“You will make a good change. Now, let’s hurry up. I made this cute thing for your hair so it won’t hide your face. They need to see all of you,” Safari said.
“I think we should call each other sisters. What do you think?” I asked and she screamed in excitement.
“The queen wants to be my sister? Where is my drink?” she asked, searching around in her sack.
“Come on, girl, let’s get ready,” I replied and she bowed her head.
***********
It seemed like hours passed as I got ready for the ceremony. Safari made a flower and leaf headband to push my wild hair out of my face. She also braided a few pieces of my hair and added beads on the end. The gown I wore was a little tight and almost caused my breasts to pop out. My nipples were poking through the thin material.
“You have cub-feeding breasts. The older villagers say females who have bigger breasts will have a lot of cubs. Awww, you are going to have a big family,” Safari said.
“It’s time, the sun just set,” Ockbutu said when he came into the temple. My stomach began feeling queasy and sweat rolled down my cleavage.
“I’m nervous,” I replied.
“It’s all love, Sy’noba. Now come,” he said.
Safari grabbed one hand and Ockbutu grabbed the other. The three of us walked out the temple and my heart almost stopped. A wind breezed past my face
and I looked behind me. The eyes on the statue of Sekhmet glowed and so did my medallion. Y’kiki’s presence was surrounding me. When I looked below the temple, the villagers were kneeling. I heard drums and horns coming from the trees.
“Our goddess Sy’noba!” Ockbutu yelled. The villagers stood up and began singing and dancing. The kids were wearing lion masks while dancing around fire pits.
“What now?” I asked Ockbutu as I watched the celebration.
