Chapter 5

We woke the next morning to hear loud growls in the not far distance. Jennifer shuddered next to me and said, 'It's the big cats. Something is happening."

We got up and dressed and packed our belongings. I carried the shotgun and Jennifer carried the Winchester along with her bow and arrow. We moved forward slowly to reach the location of the growling. We came to the edge of an open area and saw a number of big cats. I saw that they were lions. We saw a small building with two figures on top of it. There were two lions eating something at the base of the building. We looked around and I asked Jennifer to count the cats. She counted seven, one more than I. She pointed out one at the edge of the building which I hadn't noticed.

We backed a bit into the trees and I whispered, "What should we do?"

"Oh, Sal! They are waiting for the people on the building to wear out. They must have enough in weapons to keep them at bay right now. Sooner or later, they will wear down and the cats will eat."

"We can help them."

"Sal, my bow is not enough to handle more than one cat before the others attack us. Then, we're dead."

"Jennifer, do you think we can get to that building?" I asked, pointing.

"Yes, but then we would be trapped."

"I have many bullets and can shoot the cats at a distance. The cats are in our way and, if we don't handle them, they will be a threat to us even if we go around."

"I agree but it is risky. If you cannot kill the cats, then we will be trapped also and all of us will feed them."

"Okay, let's creep up and climb onto the building." After mounting the shotgun on my pack where I could reach it, I followed Jennifer as she led me slowly and carefully to the side of the building away from the cats. There, we found a way up.

She whispered, "We must watch as the cats can climb here, also."

"Okay, you watch our backs and I will try to kill the cats." We reached the top of the building and found its roof to be adequate to support us. I went to side closer to the cats and removed my pack and lay all three guns close by. I took the deer rifle with its scope first. I wasn't sure which rifle had more stopping power but decided the scope would give me a little edge. Releasing the safety, I took careful aim at a cat about two-thirds the way to the trapped people's building and fired. The sound of the gun was loud and got everything's attention. The cat I selected was hit but jumped up howling. I let it have another which downed it for a moment. This time when it rose up, I could see that it was unsteady. After waiting a bit, I shot it again. That finished it off.

I picked out another cat a little closer and put a bullet in it. It jumped up howling with a loose front paw. The scope was working for me because I was at least hitting my targets though not exactly where I was aiming. I changed to the Winchester. The cat I had wounded was my target but I missed. I tried again and bowled it over. It rose up but I figured I had given it a fatal wound. I picked out another cat and shot at it missing. I heard the twang of a bow as Jennifer shot at one trying to creep toward the sound or toward us since we were silhouetted against the sky. She winged it which was better than I could have done with a bow. Watching where I had been shooting, I took the shotgun and prepared for a charge from that nearer cat. It charged though Jennifer's arrow slowed it. When it jumped on the roof, I shot it with each barrel from twenty feet. The shots knocked it off the roof. Jennifer went to check carefully.

"Both front paws are broken." She reported. I took up the deer rifle and selected another target. Taking aim through the scope, I aimed for a chest shot but hit it toward the back legs. It rose up with the back legs shaky. I targeted another cat but couldn't see any. "They're gone for now." Jennifer said. "Let's get down and finish those wounded but not dead and find out who we saved."

We went down and killed the cat that I had shot. The Winchester between the eyes did the job. We found one other wounded with useless hind legs. I missed on my first shot creasing its head but knocking it senseless. It didn't get to wake up as it received a bullet between the eyes, also.

We moved to the other building. The two people there were hiding from us until Jennifer called, "Come on down. The cats are gone and we won't hurt you."

A woman's head appeared and then she came down from the roof. She had fear in her eyes and stayed close to the roof as had Jennifer and I. It would make it difficult for someone to shoot without showing themselves and gave us one wall if the cats returned. The woman was unarmed. She looked at Jennifer for a moment and made a few quick gestures. Jennifer leaned back to me without removing her gaze from the woman and whispered, "She is a captive from a trader group. She doesn't like the man who is her captor."

My eyes went to the roof to watch for an ambush. "Talk to her," I whispered, "and try to get more information." Jennifer nodded and moved toward the woman with her bow in one hand and an arrow in the other spread in a placating gesture.

She approached the woman, who looked up and shouted, "Look out!" I had been looking up and saw a man with a bow pulling back to shoot an arrow!

I raised the rifle and shouted, "Stop! Drop the bow on the ground!" He looked startled, then he continued to pull the bow. I shot up into him catching the bow with my bullet and shattering his arm. Jennifer had ducked as did the other woman. He screamed in pain and rolled off the roof landing on his back.

Before I could react, the woman jumped on him and took an arrow and cut his throat. "That's for taking me and killing my brother!" She stood away and watched him die. It gave me a moment and I quickly looked her over. She was maybe a little older than Jennifer and darker and shorter. Her clothes were ripped from either use or her abuse. She had no pants but a skirt slit up both sides in a ragged manner. She could use a bath. She held the arrow in a defensive posture.

"Who are you?" Jennifer asked.

"I am Terry," she replied. "I was a member of the Santa's until this sick one captured me. He killed my brother, Tom, and t-took me." Her statement ended with a wail. Jennifer moved to her and hugged her close to comfort her.

"Sal, watch for cats. Terry, tell us you story. I am Jennifer and he is my man, Sal."

"Jennifer, Sal," she murmured. "Five days ago, our camel died as we traveled. There should have been a well but it had dried. He was an old camel but Shad was a friend. We had to leave him and go on for water and food. Tom and I killed two rabbits after two days of travel and had camped by a pond to cook them and rest. We were so tired. After we ate, we fell asleep. I awoke in the morning when that beast jumped on me. I hollered for Tom but, when I looked over, I could see that he was dead. That thing had killed him as he slept and was forcing himself on me. I struggled but he was strong and he took me repeatedly in my cunt and my ass. He hurt me badly and I feared he would kill me as soon as he had finished taking his pleasure. He didn't but kept me forcing me frequently. He was a bad hunter and terrible woodsman. He bragged that he had left his group, the Southlands, to search for a woman. He said I would do until he found a better. We became trapped by the cats for a day and a half until you came. I killed him and I am glad. He deserved to die."

I continued to watch around and Jennifer answered her story with a little of ours claiming me as her mate but not explaining where either of us originated. She offered Terry an opportunity to come with us. Terry wanted to do that and looked at me. I smiled. Then Terry looked at Jennifer and nodded.

"Let's leave here. Terry, did you come from the north with that?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Then," Jennifer commanded politely, "Lead us to water in that direction."

We started off after regaining our packs. Terry had a small pack and she took her captor's weapons. We moved north slowly letting Terry set the pace. After two hours of walking, we reached a nice pond.