Feral Read Free Page B

manner in which they hunt?”
    She cleared her throat. “Sometimes they drag their kill into trees and hang them there. They’re the only big cat that does that.”
    Fascinated by the ever-thudding pulse at her neck, he moved closer to her. Instantly her body temperature rose. He could feel the heat.
    “They’re magnificent,” he said about the leopards, but he could have been saying it about her, too.
    “People often mix them up with jaguars and cheetahs. But the cheetah is leaner and swifter, actually the fastest animal on land, with solids spots and tear marks running from its eyes to its mouth. And the jaguar—”
    “Is a car,” he interjected.
    She blinked, looking every bit the nervous scientist she was.
    He smirked. “Sorry; couldn’t help myself.”
    “No, it’s okay. I was prattling.”
    “And I have an XK convertible.”
    “Is that a Jaguar?”
    He nodded. “I’ll let you drive it sometime.”
    “I don’t think I’d be good at driving something like that.”
    “It doesn’t take any special skill.”
    She fussed with the loose strands of her hair, as she’d done earlier, trying to tuck them back into her ponytail. She changed the subject, too, returning to chatter mode. “Are you ready to meet the small cats? We have a bobcat and three African servals. Mountain lions are considered small cats, too, even if they’re the same size as some of the big cats.”
    “Really?” He acted surprised.
    “The major difference between small cats and big cats is the hyoid bone that connects the tongue to the roof of their mouth. In big cats it produces the ability to roar, but in smaller cats it doesn’t. Mountain lions can’t roar. But they can purr, like other small cats.”
    Noah could purr. He could do it with the best of them.
    Jenny took him to see the bobcat and the servals, and an affectionate female serval came up to the enclosure, eager for attention.
    “That’s Cookie,” Jenny said. “She’s as sweet as her name.”
    Typical of her breed, the cat resembled a cheetah, but smaller and with big pointed ears. “How did you acquire her?”
    “Her owner died and left her orphaned.”
    Noah had outlived his family, too, but after a century of being alone, he’d learned to suppress his memories.
    “Let’s go,” he said, letting her know he wanted to see the mountain lions.
    She took him down a winding path that led to their enclosures, and the sun zigzagged through the trees. But regardless of how good daylight felt upon his skin, he still felt cold inside.
    As he’d suspected, the mountain lions took an alert and territorial interest in him. Housed separately, they watched him through keen eyes.
    Then one of them let out a low growl.
    In the midst of the tension, Jenny glanced at Noah, seemingly aware of his catlike body language. No doubt she’d noticed his mannerisms from the start, only now they were more pronounced. He wasn’t able to help it.
    “That’s Valiente,” she said, a bit uncomfortably.
    “Valiant” in Spanish. “What’s his background?”
    “He came from a roadside zoo. He lived in a crate that was barely big enough for him to turn around in. He’s fearful of wide-open spaces because all he knew was being locked up in a small area. He won’t roam his full enclosure, but we’re hoping that someday he will.”
    “How long has he been here?”
    “About a year. He’s our newest member.” She motioned to the other one. “And this is our oldest resident, the first cat my grandfather saved. His name is Sandy. I chose it for him when I was a child.”
    Noah merely nodded. Mountains lions varied in hues, but most people would describe them as tan, beige, or sandy. The name fit, especially coming from a child.
    “They’re solitary animals,” she said. “Elusive. Males and females get together to mate, but that only lasts for a few days. Other than that, they avoid each other.” A slight pause, then, “I mentioned earlier that they can purr, but their