Gamu laughed. "But you're my FRIEND, Griz’nik! I wouldn't hurt a FRIEND, would I?” He shoved the hyena away and stalked off, leaving Griznik to stare after him, rubbing his belly and shivering.

CHAPTER: A FRIENDLY GAME

Early the next morning Gamu came to Elanna. “Good morning, my dear.”

“Oh, hello Gamu.”

He stared at her sensual curves, his jaw hanging slack as he thought of those curves pressed against his body. “You are really very beautiful, Elanna dear.”

Kubali was away, and Elanna was not very comfortable being alone with Gamu. But she nodded and said, “Thanks.”

Your face is kind and gentle. Your eyes are like twin sisters of the stars. Yes, my dear, Kubali is lucky.”

“You’re not so bad yourself,” she said, laughing nervously. “I’m sure someday you’ll find someone who can make you very happy.”

“And those strong huntress shoulders which can be so soft. Sleek sides that ripple with each step, and hips like Minshasa’s.” He kept looking further back.

Elanna felt naked and ashamed, and she made a subconscious effort her clamp her tail firmly against her backside.

“Kubali will be back soon, Gamu. Oh look, there he is now!”

Kubali had returned from the watering hole. “That was refreshing.” He looked at Gamu who smiled innocently and at Elanna who was supremely uncomfortable.

Elanna glanced at Gamu. “Why don’t you drink now?” She wanted to speak alone with Kubali, and she was hoping he would leave.

“No, go on, Elanna. I’m willing to wait for what I want.”

She reluctantly left the two of them alone. And while she was gone, Gamu saw Kubali’s good mood and twitched his tail. “Think you’re hot stuff, huh?”

“And I suppose you are??” Kubali reared up and flailed at Gamu, laughing. Gamu seized him around the neck with his forelegs and began to wrestle with him.

“I guess you think you’ll win,” Gamu grunted in the height of his exertions. He tried to shift his weight and throw Kubali.

“I always do,” Kubali grunted, compensating with a hind limb and pushing hard.

“You won’t win this time!” Gamu broke away, then started flailing out with his paws.

“You’re quick,” Kubali said, sparring with him. “But you’re not quick enough for me!” With a sudden jab, he had Gamu on his side and bore his great weight down on him. “Beg for mercy!”

“Never!”

“Beg for mercy!” Kubali rubbed the back of his paw against the fold of Gamu’s hind leg, making it kick.

“Stop tickling me!”

“Beg for mercy!” Kubali laughed and nudged his thigh again. Gamu’s face tightened into a mask of misery as he struggled to keep his composure. “I can stay here all day, Gamu!”

“OK, MERCY! Get OFF me!”

Gamu struggled out from under the laughing lion. “You win--this time.” He looked at Kubali from narrowed eyes. “But be careful not to let success go to you head. It makes you careless, and that’s a big mistake while I’m around.”

Kubali laughed at what he thought was a joke, and he rubbed against Gamu, nuzzling him. “I used to think you didn’t like me.”

I can hardly wait to show you how true my friendship really is.” Gamu nuzzled him back. “Someday, you’ll look back on this talk and remember what we said.”

“Yeah, buddy.” Kubali looked in the distance. “She’s back. Go for it, Gamu. There’s a long hot day ahead.”

CHAPTER: MATCH POINT

Gamu was gone a very short period of time. He had something to do, and it had to be done quickly. He was gleeful when Kubali thought he heard a strange noise and went to check it out. “You pulled it off, Griz’nik,” Gamu thought. “You’re totally unprincipled and ruthless. If you weren’t so irritating, we could be quite a pair.”

Gamu used his moment alone with Elanna to fullest advantage. He watched Kubali leave, very intently. So intently that it got her curiosity. She was afraid that he was about to try and force himself on her. She mentally prepared herself for the struggle ahead, taking in a deep breath and letting it out. The fur on her neck and back began to rise and her ears went back.

“Elanna, we need to talk.”

“Oh??” She backed back a step.

“When I first saw you two together, I felt like it was a match made by Aiheu himself. You seemed so happy.”

“However??” She backed back another step. “You think it’s not working out??”

“You’ve noticed too? I’m so sorry. I wish there was something I could do to help.”

“I bet you do.”

He looked into her belligerent stare. “I realize this is all my fault. I should have never come back. I’m so sorry.”

Her ears flicked forward. “Sorry? For what??”

“You don’t know?? I thought he’d discussed it with you. I could understand him not wanting to. Maybe I should just leave.”

She pressed the point. “Gamu, you say you’ve repented of your crimes. That you want to be good and start over. It would be a big step if you'd put my mind to rest. Be honest with me. He’s jealous of you. He thinks you’re trying to cut in on me. You are, aren’t you?”

“Not exactly.”

“We must be honest with each other. I will not tolerate lies from you. I’ve been very understanding, Gamu. I’ve given you the benefit of the doubt, but I must be able to trust you.”

He tried to meet her glance, but could not.

“If you would consent, I’d be on your back in a moment, girl. But you won’t and I understand. It’s not a crime to want someone, especially when they are so beautiful and charming. My one great crime was not my fault. I was given my mantlement because of Kubali.”

“Are you blaming your crimes on him?”

“What crime??” he asked impatiently. “Aiheu’s mane, Kubali loved me! Why would I want to hurt him??”

“So he loved you. But you must have done SOMETHING.”

“You don’t understand. Poor dear Lannie! He LOVED me. Every time he passed me, he used to run his paw over my thigh. ‘Crouch with me, Gamu! Don’t you find me handsome?’”

She backed back and snarled. “Liar! You liar! How DARE you say that!”

“You think I’m a liar??” He snarled back at her. “He wanted me all the time, and no one would believe me because he was the prince. Then one day the King saw his son nosing my butt. Do you think he punished Kubali?? No, he tried to hide ME away, thinking he could match him up with Penzi. The superstitious old goat believed the gods spoke in the bending of a twig. Because she was his betrothed, the King refused to see any possible outcome but Kubali crouching with Penzi and raising lots of little cubs. So he tossed me out into the wilderness to live or die by Aiheu’s whim, me too young to hunt properly! Then Kubali has the nerve to greet me like I’m some sort of plague when he finally found a lioness he could bear to make it with!”

She cuffed him across the face. He felt of his cheek--there was no blood. “Claws in. At least I have some good luck left. I have lived a hard life, and I gave up on Aiheu being fair long ago.”

She was almost instantly sorry. “I should not be so hasty to judge. I will hear your story, but may Aiheu have pity on you if you are lying to me!”

“Of course, I never encouraged this. I never once said that I found him attractive, and I would make excuses to get away from him. If it’s any consolation, we never actually DID anything.”

“But he and I made love!” Elanna insisted. “It was so special!”

“I know, and I’m very glad for you. My one great sin was in coming here. I should have turned and run the moment I saw him. My dear, I know you well enough to feel remorse for this.” He showed her some small scratches on the turn of his thigh. “We were having a little wrestling match. I was having fun, but--alas--he found it quite stimulating. He bore me to the ground and began to--well--I shouldn’t be telling you this. I should have just left.”