| Chapter Seventeen |
Wolf took aim and exhaled softly. He briefly considered how stupid he was being. Hunting solo? In Africa at dusk? He
had been planning on being on Penny’s jeep by now, but these cubs were worth the risk. A million USD? Think what that
could mean for him. He took aim with his tranquilizer. He squeezed the trigger.
Tezaka and Shakaza’s eyes flew open on reflexes far, far faster than Wolf’s. They became spectators to a mental
override with a voice all its own, originating somewhere between higher brain functions and spinal reflex.
Danger:-hostile-unit-armed-rifle.
Location:-eight-degress-thirty-six-minutes-twenty-seven-seconds-west-of-north-twenty-two-point-four-meters.
Elevation:-one-point-six-one-meters.
Enemy-vector-intercept:-female-unit-dorsal-ventral-between-third-and-fourth-ribs.
Escape-route-search:-working.
Analyze:-terrain-layout-paw/soil-traction-factor.
Skeletal-muscular-shock-prep:-working.
Process-prep:-ready:-/spring/claw run/sprint/hide/stealth climb.
S.E.R.E. program ready.
Go.
In less time than it took for the mechanics of Wolf’s tranquilizer gun to accelerate its projectile, the cubs split up and
disappeared into opposite sides of the foliage. Wolf cursed and waded out to the rock where the cubs had been napping,
sighting down rifle in the direction that Shakaza had fled. The cubs’ brains worked in tandem to deduce what had
happened. The hunter must have seen Shakaza’s fire on. Now that they weren’t being shot at, the reflex override shut off
and the cubs were free to use their abilities themselves. Tezaka heard his sister’s voice in his mind.
Tezaka. Prepare to engage the enemy.
Negative, Kaza, we need to leave the area.
We can take this human! He’s outnumbered!
He may have reinforcements!
Zak, look, the humans are hunting us for the combat enhancements they created our father with. This is an opportunity
to show them we’re too dangerous to hunt. Now then, he must’ve seen my tail on fire; he didn’t seem interested in you. So
get in a tree and give me some vantage-point attack vectors!
Tezaka sighed inwardly and continued his stealth climb. From his branch high in the tree, he analyzed the situation in
tactical terms, thinking the information directly to his sister’s mind. Shakaza was able to stay safely one step ahead of
Wolf.
Until she decided to attack.
Shakaza leapt from the undergrowth snarling, teeth bared, and tail tuft burning hot. She was able to latch onto Wolf’s leg
for a second before he struck her hard in the head with the butt of his rifle.
Tezaka felt a phantom of his sister’s pain wash over him as Kaza took a blow that would’ve knocked a normal cub
unconscious. As it was, her brother simply moved her out of the way with his mind. His higher brain gave telepathic
commands that bypassed Kaza’s misfiring cerebellum and went directly to her brain stem. Shakaza woke up safe and
hidden, albeit with a headache.
Remember, Sis, rifles can also be used in melee.
Shut up.
We really should pull back now.
Forget it! I just need to quit messing around and go for his vitals.
You’ll never get past his weapon to his throat. Besides, we really shouldn’t kill Masters.
Don’t call them that. And I’m not going to kill him or go for his throat. Males have vitals that are much more accessible.
Shakaza! That’s vicious.
Thank you.
Shakaza crouched to spring again before the clearing was suddenly flooded with light and sound. Both lion cubs looked
in the direction of the jeep that had just arrived. Wolf, however, was ready for it and maintained his gaze. With both sets
of eyes distracted, Shakaza was left exposed to a gust of wind that revealed her position to the poacher. A subtle
‘thwump’ was audible over the jeep’s engine and Shakaza fell limp to the ground.
“Shakaza!” The cub’s shout in Leonid sounded to the humans like a pitiful yelp, and the woman driving the jeep shot her
tranquilizer gun as well, dropping Tezaka out of the tree.
had been planning on being on Penny’s jeep by now, but these cubs were worth the risk. A million USD? Think what that
could mean for him. He took aim with his tranquilizer. He squeezed the trigger.
Tezaka and Shakaza’s eyes flew open on reflexes far, far faster than Wolf’s. They became spectators to a mental
override with a voice all its own, originating somewhere between higher brain functions and spinal reflex.
Danger:-hostile-unit-armed-rifle.
Location:-eight-degress-thirty-six-minutes-twenty-seven-seconds-west-of-north-twenty-two-point-four-meters.
Elevation:-one-point-six-one-meters.
Enemy-vector-intercept:-female-unit-dorsal-ventral-between-third-and-fourth-ribs.
Escape-route-search:-working.
Analyze:-terrain-layout-paw/soil-traction-factor.
Skeletal-muscular-shock-prep:-working.
Process-prep:-ready:-/spring/claw run/sprint/hide/stealth climb.
S.E.R.E. program ready.
Go.
In less time than it took for the mechanics of Wolf’s tranquilizer gun to accelerate its projectile, the cubs split up and
disappeared into opposite sides of the foliage. Wolf cursed and waded out to the rock where the cubs had been napping,
sighting down rifle in the direction that Shakaza had fled. The cubs’ brains worked in tandem to deduce what had
happened. The hunter must have seen Shakaza’s fire on. Now that they weren’t being shot at, the reflex override shut off
and the cubs were free to use their abilities themselves. Tezaka heard his sister’s voice in his mind.
Tezaka. Prepare to engage the enemy.
Negative, Kaza, we need to leave the area.
We can take this human! He’s outnumbered!
He may have reinforcements!
Zak, look, the humans are hunting us for the combat enhancements they created our father with. This is an opportunity
to show them we’re too dangerous to hunt. Now then, he must’ve seen my tail on fire; he didn’t seem interested in you. So
get in a tree and give me some vantage-point attack vectors!
Tezaka sighed inwardly and continued his stealth climb. From his branch high in the tree, he analyzed the situation in
tactical terms, thinking the information directly to his sister’s mind. Shakaza was able to stay safely one step ahead of
Wolf.
Until she decided to attack.
Shakaza leapt from the undergrowth snarling, teeth bared, and tail tuft burning hot. She was able to latch onto Wolf’s leg
for a second before he struck her hard in the head with the butt of his rifle.
Tezaka felt a phantom of his sister’s pain wash over him as Kaza took a blow that would’ve knocked a normal cub
unconscious. As it was, her brother simply moved her out of the way with his mind. His higher brain gave telepathic
commands that bypassed Kaza’s misfiring cerebellum and went directly to her brain stem. Shakaza woke up safe and
hidden, albeit with a headache.
Remember, Sis, rifles can also be used in melee.
Shut up.
We really should pull back now.
Forget it! I just need to quit messing around and go for his vitals.
You’ll never get past his weapon to his throat. Besides, we really shouldn’t kill Masters.
Don’t call them that. And I’m not going to kill him or go for his throat. Males have vitals that are much more accessible.
Shakaza! That’s vicious.
Thank you.
Shakaza crouched to spring again before the clearing was suddenly flooded with light and sound. Both lion cubs looked
in the direction of the jeep that had just arrived. Wolf, however, was ready for it and maintained his gaze. With both sets
of eyes distracted, Shakaza was left exposed to a gust of wind that revealed her position to the poacher. A subtle
‘thwump’ was audible over the jeep’s engine and Shakaza fell limp to the ground.
“Shakaza!” The cub’s shout in Leonid sounded to the humans like a pitiful yelp, and the woman driving the jeep shot her
tranquilizer gun as well, dropping Tezaka out of the tree.
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