Putting aside her books and shutting down the lamp, Ashley lay in her sleeping bag deep in thought, picturing the dark woman’s behaviour today. Leandra had seemed okay. While her voice had been raspy from ill-use, she had spoken clearly and thoughtfully. She was polite. Ashley had a feeling she relied more on her sense of smell than a regular person would, but that was understandable. Lying in the dark now, Ashley recalled the little information Leandra had given about herself.
So, you said you used to be a poacher, right? she thought to herself, trying to piece together the dark woman’s history. I can picture that. It’d probably be the sort of thing that would teach good survival skills. But then, one day someone says something that maybe gives you an attack of conscience. So you decide to turn over a new leaf and do something to help the animals you used to hunt. And so you…you…
Unfortunately, that was where Ashley’s pondering ran in a brick wall. There are a lot safer, smarter and – let’s be honest – more effective ways to fight poaching than to come out here alone, dress up funny, and then start killing off the hunters one by one. Ashley sighed.
"There’s something else," she whispered. "I’m betting it must take a lot for someone to just turn away from the rest of the world and decide to live with the animals instead."
The young photographer then recalled the strange, almost desparate look in the icey-blue eyes as she’d been about to leave. The yearning expression on Leandra’s face just before she’d offered to show her the peacocks.
"You’ve been out here a long time," she whispered to the absent woman. "No-one to talk too…no human contact except the men you hunt. You probably feel more kinship with the tigers than you do with your own species. And yet today, you not only talked to me, but you wanted to see me again." Ashley considered that, feeling rather privelidged that Leandra had opened up a little to her. "I bet you’ve forgotten what it’s like to have a friend who can actually talk with you." She smiled to herself at that. "Pehaps I should remind you."
Closing her eyes, Ashley snuggled into a pillow of folded clothes and let herself drift off…the image of piercing blue eyes and a powerful, tawny-gold figure the last thing she remembered before sleep claimed her.

***

Ashley grinned with delight as she finished off another roll of film and changed the cartridge with an absent-minded ease mastered only after years of practice. Before her ranged a group of four peacocks and perhaps a dozen peafowl, the males displaying their

magnificent shimmering tail-fans in the early morning light. The happy young blonde gave her unusual companion a radient smile before focusing for more shots.
"This is fantastic!" she exclaimed for the fifth time. "I can’t believe how close they let us get!"
Leandra smiled quietly, her attention more on the photographer then the birds. Sitting back on her haunches, the dark woman relaxed a little and just enjoyed Ashley’s vibrant, excited voice as she clicked away.
They had come out here just after first light, hiking the short distance to the clearing in relative silence. Upon arriving, Leandra surprised her companion by folding her hands over her mouth and giving a piercing, very authentic-sounding peacock call which instantly attracted a host of birds to them and got them preening and excited – much to Ashley’s delight. Now the sun was well into the sky, and Ashley was almost out of film. Leandra hadn’t spoken much, but it didn’t bother the young blonde, who talked a little about her family and her work just to fill the quiet. They each felt somewhat awkward in the presence of the other, but it didn’t matter.
Finally finishing off the last role of film she’d brought, Ashley fiddled with her camera a few moments before settling down next to her companion, still trying not to be too obvious about staring at her unusual appearance.
"Wow! I can’t believe how many pictures I got! I mean, I had a few shots already of peacocks, but nothing like these ones! I wish I’d brought more film, but I didn’t know it was going to be this good." Grady had been trying to get her to update her equipment, always raving on about the superiority of digital cameras over the older models. Ashley refused to listen, however, prefering the comforting reliabilty and simplicity of using real film. Now, she smiled at the dark woman, noting absently that even Leandra’s sitting style was vaguely feline. She could also hear the sound of quiet purring, and knew from that her companion was in a good mood. "Thank you for bringing me out here."
"You’re welcome."
They watched the magnificent birds continue their antics for long minutes, enjoying the display. Leandra cast Ashley several furtive glances, unable to contain her interest in the young blonde. It had been so long since she’d wanted to be around another person, but there was something about Ashley that called to her. The photographer was cheerful and charming, her passion for her work evident in her enthusiasm. She talked about life in a world Leandra hadn’t been a part of for many years. Just watching her and being near her made the dark woman feel at peace in a way nothing ever had before. She didn’t want to loose that sense of tranquility yet, that sense of human connection she’d all but lost during the last four years…but she wasn’t sure how to keep hold of it either.
"You know…" she said quietly after a long contemplation, "if you wanted me to, I could show you some other places I know. There’s a spot up river a few miles where the

elephants usually water. And there are lots of other birds and things you could photograph…I-I wouldn’t mind taking you to see them."
Ashley smiled at the dark woman. "That’d be great." She could sense again that her companion was very nervous, and actually found the strong, predatary woman’s uncertainty rather cute. "But you know Leandra…if you want to spend time with me, you don’t have to go to all this trouble."
The dark woman’s expression grew even more nervous and she started to fidget with one of the cords of hair hanging over her chest. "Wh-what do you mean?"
"I mean it’s okay if you want a little company," Ashley said gently, her eyes soft and open. "I guess you haven’t had a friend for a while, right?"
Shy, timid blue eyes glanced up, then quickly away. "Welll…maybe not in the people sense, no. But I do have friends out here." She nodded at the peacocks.
Ashley chuckled. "I probably don’t want to meet some of your other friends though, huh?"
"Probably not."
Ashley quieted and studied the painted woman for a moment. "I’d really like to be your friend too, Leandra," she said quietly. "If you want some company, you can just say so and I’d be more than happy to spend time with you…even if it’s just for no reason. You don’t have to offer to take me to see the animals – you can just ask." She paused, a little uncertain. "You know…I read that tigers are solitary. They spend almost all their time alone. But you’re not a tiger Leandra, you’re a human being." From the guarded look in the dark woman’s face, Ashley realised she’d hit a nerve. "It’s not such a good thing for a human to be alone for so long."
Leandra’s posture stiffened. "I know that," she said coldly, the previous purring now replaced by a threatening growl.
Ashley raised her hands in a calming gesture. "I’m not trying to make you angry Leandra," she said soothingly. "I’m sure you have a reason to be out here like this…and I’m not saying you shouldn’t be here if it’s what you want. I’m just saying that…maybe it would be good for you to be around another person. Like me, for example." She smiled a little, reassured when Leandra realised the noises she was making and consciously stopped them with an embarrased look. "When was the last time you spoke actual words Leandra? I mean, before we met?"
The dark woman shrugged. "I guess about…three years ago," she admitted quietly.
Ashley eyed her companion curiously. "Does anyone in the outside world know you’re here?" she probed gently. "Family? Friends?"

Leandra shook her head, faces flashing before her mind that she didn’t want to remember. "Anyone who knew me probably assumes I’m dead," she whispered. "I doubt they’d miss me much anyway."
The young photographer scooted a little closer, amused to see Leandra’s nostrils twitch as she sniffed the air. There were a thousand and one questions burning on the tip of her tongue – a thousand things she wanted to ask Leandra about her life and what had brought her here – but she restrained the desire to give them voice. Working with animals all her life had taught the young woman that you didn’t get close to a wild animal if you moved upon it too quickly; calm and patience worked best, and she decided to employ those same tactics with Leandra. "I think you need to be reminded that you’re not an animal," Ashley said, very slowly reaching out and pushing back the mass of dreadlocks. "Under all this paint and hair, there’s a beautiul woman, not a giant cat. You don’t want to forget that."
Leandra was almost dizzy from the scent of Ashley, her body trembling a little with fear as she wondered how to react to the photographers intimate proximity. The instincts that had been born in her these last four years urged her to push the blonde away and retreat, but Leandra suppresed them and, not knowing what else to do, sat very still as Ashley studied her face. "I haven’t forgotten," she whispered. "But…it’s nice to be reminded sometimes. And um…I’d like to show you the animals anyway, if you want to see them."
"Okay then." Ashley smiled gently, then backed away and resumed her seat. "I’d like that."
"Good."
A long period of silence followed, before Leandra glanced shyly at the blonde. "You know…" she said quietly, "I’m not crazy or anything."
Ashley chuckled at the comment. "I never thought you were."
"Good." Leandra offered a slight smile. "I was just confirming it."
Ashley grinned and cast her eyes over the tall woman’s striped body. "I’m not gonna lie and say I think you’re exactly ‘normal’ Leandra, but…I’ve been around long enough to tell the difference between eccentricity and madness. I wouldn’t be here, with you now, if I thought you were insane."
Leandra considered that, then nodded. She didn’t want to scare away her new friend, and acknowledged the fact that her appearance and behaviour were somewhat bizarre. It was good to know that Ashley wasn’t sitting there thinking she was some kind of mad-woman.
The two women sat quietly and watched the peacocks finish their preening then wander off looking for food. They remained until all the birds were gone, enjoying the peace of

the forest and the sounds of the creatures at play all around them, each casting occasional sidelong glances at the other.

***

Through a pair of binoculars, a tall, well-built man watched as the group of five gathered around a small fire to share their evening meal and talk as the sun went down. Dressed in camoflague fatigues, shirt and vest, with several belts strapped around his waist and legs holding such things as a water flask, compass, and a broad-bladed hunting knife, the six-foot tall man cut an impressive, confident figure. His dark blonde hair was held back in a loose pony-tail, a few strands pulling loose in the humidity and clinging to his sweat-streaked face. His skin was deeply tanned, wrinkles forming at the corners of his eyes from years of squinting into the sunlight. Intense green eyes burned from deep in hollow sockets as he observed the gathering from a distance.
Behind him, another man watched in similar fashion, this one sporting bright red hair and a thick beard. A deep scowl pulled the corners of him mouth down when he spoted a familiar figure sitting comfortably on a fallen log and laughing with her friends.
"That’s her," he said. "The little blonde bitch on the right." He shook his head. "Told me she was a photographer or something. Guess it’s probably lucky fer me I didn’t kill her, right Jack?"
Jack Corbin grunted, shrewd eyes taking in the details of the camp and its inhabitants. "That balding guy ain’t no photographer," he decided quickly. "Him and that brunnete sitting next to him are scientists or some such…probably doing research. The Indian guy must be their guide – getting paid to babysit…make sure nothing bad happens." He focused carefully and managed to bring the young, petite blonde into sharper detail. She didn’t look like much, he thought, wondering whether he should believe the man behind him. "Blondie’s no worse for wear after your little encounter with the ‘Indian Menace’," he observed.
The grizzly red-head scowled darkly. "Maybe she ran away like I did. Or maybe that thing only kills guys like us. How should I know what happened?"
Corbin nodded and replaced his binoculars in a case attached to the belt around his waist. "Tell me again what it looked like?"
"It was a woman," the man explained for the dozenth time. "Only she was like a tiger. She had claws and her skin was stripy…and she moved like a cat." He sighed. "I swear, it’s the truth."

"And you ran away?"
"Damn right I ran! If you saw that thing, you’d a run away too!"
Corbin just grunted, still unsure what to make of this report. "I had three other men coming in for this hunt," he said quietly. "They’re two days late now…I guess that means they didn’t make it."
"If they got caught by the ghost, they sure as hell didn’t make it."
"Mmm."
Jack Corbin was not a man prone to flights of fancy. He had traveled to every continent on Earth, had tracked and hunted almost every creature capable of killing a man, and had never encountered any beast that couldn’t be overcome with caution and a loaded gun. His reputation was widespread among those who lived in the shadowy world of the black-market animal trade, and though he could have lived a soft life of luxury from the money he’d made in his dealings, Jack prefered the excitement and danger of his work.
Three years ago, he’d heard the reports of a poaching expedition that had been massacred in the Indian forests, the details of which had been enough to make even a ruthless hunter like Jack a little nervous. Still, at the time he’d just assumed it was some kind of scare tactic being used by the rangers to frighten away poachers; the stories of some mystical tiger-like spirit stalking the jungle, ravaging those who dared to hunt the great cats…he’d scoffed at the lunacy of it even as many of his comrades started avoiding the Indian territory. In the three years that followed, more rumours had filtered down to him of men lost in the jungle – sometimes never found, sometimes discovered by rangers, mauled and shredded with fearful savagery. Now, lured here by the chance to hunt the rare white tiger, Jack wasn’t sure what to make of the story brought to him by his companion…but he intended to tread carefully. Jack hadn’t become successful as a poacher and smuggler by being foolish or rash.
The red-head shuffled uncomfortably as he watched Jack think. Shaun Duggan had never hunted with Jack Corbin before, but he knew the man by reputation…and what he’d heard both frightened him, and gave him confidance of success. "So…what’re we gonna do?"
Jack considered long and hard. Eventually he nodded to the distant campfire. "We’ll watch them closely," he stated. "If they’re here for the tiger as well, maybe we won’t have to work so hard to find it. We can just let them do the work for us."
"A-and what about the ghost?" Shaun asked, uncertain whether he’d been believed or not.
Jack shrugged. "We find it, and we kill it." He turned away, shouldering his rifle and heading back to his own camp some two miles to the west. "If it’s real enough that it can kill a man, it’s real enough that we can kill it."

"But…how?"
"Simple…" Jack grinned. "First, we lure it out of hiding. Once I get a good look at it, I’ll decide the best way to take it down."
Shaun had his doubts about whether the strange tiger-woman could even be killed – he had been raised by his grandparents, who had instilled in him all their own old-world superstitions. To Shaun, the idea of a supernatural spirit guardian of the tigers wasn’t all that far-fetched. Still, he kept his apprehensions to himself, fearing less the uncertain danger of the ghost than the very real danger of his companion.
On the way back to camp, Jack pondered the safest way to lure out the strange menace…rather enjoying the first true challenge to his ability in a long while.


In what distant deeps or skies,
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
-'The Tyger' by William Blake.
Ashley hummed a happy tune to herself, smiling cheerfully at Grady's early-morning scowl as she handed out mugs of strong coffee to Simon and Grace, who exchanged amused glances at her merriment. The young photographer was in a very good mood this morning, already looking forward to another day spent in the company of her new friend.
For the last four days, Ashley had seen more of Leandra than she had any of her other companions. She'd quickly developed a routine of going for walks out into the forest around the camp and along the river, knowing that the mysterious dark woman would join her once she was alone. The one time Tarun had tried to follow as security, Leandra hadn't shown up, and Ashley had lectured the protective guide for ten minutes about who was paying his bill. After that, Tarun had grudgingly accepted that he couldn't control the infuriating blonde, and set his attention on helping the others.
The two women had settled into a comfortable rhythm, spending their days in peaceful companionship in the wilderness. Sometimes, Leandra would take Ashley out to places she knew were favorite haunts of various animals, other times to scenic locations she thought the young blonde might enjoy seeing. Leandra's voice grew stronger as she accustomed it to being used again, and soon she was talking a little more, explaining the habits of the creatures with whom she shared the jungle. Occasionally she would even relate an amusing story of their antics...such as the time a group of mischievous young monkeys had found a sleeping bear and decided to wake it up, scampering away quickly

as the great beast tried futilely to catch them. Ashley was continuously amazed by the dark woman as she learned more of her life these past four years, fascinated most of all by the strange, symbiotic relationship Leandra seemed to have with the great cats who dominated everything out here - a relationship the dark woman only spoke of rarely, and which was obviously her strongest link to the forest.
Ashley in turn talked about her life in America; about her older sister, Evelyn, who had married young to a childhood sweetheart who had since become a successful physician; and about their daughter, Casey, who was now seventeen and seemingly intent on following in her aunt's footsteps as a troublemaker. She described her house, and the quiet town that lay a short drive away. When she spoke of the outside world, Ashley noticed Leandra's expression would become even more intense and focused than usual, as though she wanted to absorb every word and description that was offered. Seeing Leandra's obvious fascination with the world she'd left behind, Ashley talked more and more about her life and the places she'd visited.
Today, Ashley had risen earlier than usual, wanting to get in a quick bath before she went looking for Leandra. She grinned at Grady as he settled himself on his tree-branch seat with a groan, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
"Good morning, Grady," she greeted happily in a sing-song voice.
"Urgh." He accepted the coffee she offered, sipping the bitter brew slowly for a few minutes before meeting her sunny smile. "Why are you in such a good mood?" he scowled. "Last I heard you weren't any closer to getting pictures of that damn cat. Let me guess...you're going off with tiger-woman again today, right?"
"I told you, her name is Leandra...and yes, I'm spending the day with her." Ashley gave her partner a quick grin. "I don't see why you're so down in the dumps about it, Grady. For one thing, she's helping me get some unbelievable shots out there...and for another, she's keeping me out of trouble, so you can get your own work done in peace without having to worry that I'm about to get run down by a herd of elephants or something." That earned her a wry grin from her partner, who never missed an opportunity to remind her of the time he'd had to rescue her from a stampede in Africa because she'd been too busy taking photos to get out of the way. "Leandra's a wonderful person, so don't be so grumpy about me spending time with her."
"And when are we going to be introduced to your mysterious friend?" asked Simon earnestly. The scientist was eager to meet Leandra, and had already probed Ashley for every scrap of information she had about her. "Did you ask her about letting us talk to her?"
Ashley sighed. While she knew Simon had only the best intentions, she also knew Leandra would not welcome his questions about her life. "I'm sorry Simon, but I don't think she'd be interested," she said, watching his expression drop. "She's just a very

private person, I'm afraid...and I don't think she wants a lot of people all staring at her and asking lots of questions."
"But I wouldn't be invasive," Simon argued. "I-I'd just like to see her, that's all."
"I know, and I'll mention it to her. If she's interested in meeting you, she'll tell me when she's ready. Okay?"
Simon reluctantly nodded. "Okay."
Quickly finishing off her breakfast and grabbing a change of clothes and her bathing accessories, Ashley headed off to the river for a quick wash. The humidity in the jungle was high, and even though she was well accustomed to roughing it in the wilderness, Ashley didn't like to feel sticky and smelly. Finding what she decided looked like a safe, fairly sheltered part of the river, the young blonde laid out her gear and started stripping down quickly, rather enjoying the little guilty thrill that came from being so exposed outdoors.
Just as she reached back to unhook her bra, a familiar throaty voice from behind called a cheerful greeting. "Morning Ashley. You taking a bath?"
Ashley gave a startled squeak and grabbed for her towel, using it to cover her chest as she spun around to glare at Leandra. The striped woman was perched on a boulder nearby, head cocked to the side as she regarded the blonde curiously.
"Damn it Leandra! What the hell are you doing here!?"
Leandra gave her a confused shrug. "What do you think I'm doing? I came to see you of course."
Ashley blushed deep crimson. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that," she scolded, securing the towel around her body more securely. "I was just about to..." She gestured to the pile of clothes, soap and washcloth, then at the river.
"Bathe?"
"Yes."
Leandra shrugged and settled herself down on the rock more comfortably. "That's okay. I'll just wait till you're done."
Ashley laughed out loud, then realized the dark woman was serious. Frank, startlingly clear blue eyes continued to watch her openly, and her blush deepened. I guess a sense of modesty was one of the first things to go when she came out here.
"Umm...heh...w-would you mind...you know, turning around or something at least?"

Leandra cocked her head curiously. "Why?"
"Well, umm...I could use a little privacy, you know."
Dark brows contracted in puzzlement, then shot up as Leandra grinned in sudden understanding. "Oh! You're embarrassed to be naked around me?"
"No, but..." Ashley fidgeted with the edge of the towel uncertainly.
"You don't need to be shy Ashley," Leandra said simply. "I doubt you have anything there I don't already own myself."
"Well...I know that, but still..."
"Would you be more comfortable if I joined you?" Leandra asked, reaching immediately for the leather cord that held her top closed.
"NO!" Ashley quickly stopped that line of thought, shaking her head a little in amusement. "That's a very nice offer, but I don't think it'll be necessary, thank you!"
Leandra shrugged and settled down again. "As you wish."
Ashley sighed. "Do you even remember the meaning of the word modesty?"
"I understand the concept," Leandra said dismisively, inspecting one of her claw-weapons seriously. "It doesn't have any place out here. I lived naked for probably three months before I realized it was more comfortable to have at least some support." She spread her arms to display her brief outfit. "Modesty is constructed from the concept of shame. Beyond comfort and need for warmth, clothing is entirely dispensable." Seeing that Ashley didn't seem likely to get her bath finished with if she didn't give her some privacy, Leandra sighed and turned away a little. "I won't watch you, if it makes you uncomfortable."
Ashley groaned. This is what I get for making friends with Jungle Jane, she thought. "Fine." Deciding to just make it quick and get it over with, the young blonde turned back to the river and pulled the towel from her body. Quickly stripping off her simple undergarments, she grabbed the soap and washcloth and waded out into the surprisingly cold, mountain-fed waters.
Lounging easily on the cool boulder, Leandra used the rock to touch up the edges of one of her claws, gently rubbing the bone weapon against the stone and blowing away the fine shavings. She inspected each of the hooked talons carefully, sharpening those that needed it before she felt her eyes start to drift curiously back to the river. Trying not to be noticeable, not wanting to do anything that might make Ashley uncomfortable around her, Leandra subtly observed the naked woman as she scrubbed herself vigorously.

The young blonde was fairly evenly tanned from living an outdoor lifestyle, and her body was lithe and firm from a physically demanding career. She was slender without being bony, delicate without being weak, and entirely enchanting to her observer. High, still-firm breasts quickly captured Leandra's attention, and the dark woman smiled a little as she enjoyed the sight of a naked female form for the first time in many years. Ashley was a very beautiful woman, and Leandra could admit she found her extremely attractive. Having learned from experience not to fight her instincts, Leandra didn't bother to argue with her attraction...but she realized it would not be wise to act upon it, either. After four years of social denial, the company Ashley gave so easily was like water to a man dying of thirst for Leandra; she craved it with a deep passion, hungered for every scrap that was offered, and hoarded each precious moment spent in the young woman's presence away in her memory. She knew Ashley would be leaving sooner or later, and she didn't want to do anything to hurry that departure...like frighten her away by expressing her less-platonic interest.
Tearing her gaze away from the nymph-like figure in the water, Leandra focused back on the jungle, trying to recall the faces of some of the women she'd bedded before coming out here. There had been many, she remembered, and not one of them had ever meant more to her than a simple night of pleasure. She had seduced them, taken them, and then left them all as soon as something more interesting came along. Of course, it had been a long time since Leandra had thought more than fleetingly of sexual pleasure - the struggle for survival consumed most of her thoughts these days. Still, sneaking a peak at her new friend as she finished her bath, Leandra found that the myriad faces in her memory now dissolved into Ashley's soft, gentle features, and she was glad the paint hid her blush as she wondered idly how the young woman might look in the throes of ecstasy.
"Okay, I'm ready."
"Mmm?" Leandra looked back to find Ashley had finished her bath and was now dressed and waiting. The young woman had changed into an army green, cut-off tank-top and cargo shorts, her blonde hair still wet and tousled about her face. "Oh, great."
"You want to wait here while I take this stuff back to camp?" Ashley asked, holding up her bundle of dirty clothes and the towel.
"Sure."
"Great, I'll be quick." Ashley flashed a brilliant smile and hastened away, leaving Leandra to watch her departure with a wry smile. The dark woman happily let her eyes wander over the photographer's backside before she disappeared back into the forest, enjoying the way the brief outfit displayed her slender curves. An unconscious rumble stirred in Leandra's belly as she settled down contentedly on the rock to sun herself, purring happily as she looked forward to the day ahead.
* * *

"So, have your friends had any luck finding tigers?" Leandra asked as she helped her shorter companion navigate a treacherous stretch of dry river-bed.
Ashley accepted the assistance, having already slipped twice on the slimy rocks. "Some," she replied, watching her striped companion spring barefoot from one rock to another, envying the unbelievable agility she could never hope to match. "Apparently they bagged a young male yesterday morning after I left. Hit him with a tranq gun then collared him - no problems." She sighed quietly. "It would have been nice to see him. Simon thinks he's probably the dominant tiger in this territory."
"Actually," Leandra smiled, "he's a rogue male, just passing through."
"How do you-" Ashley stopped at the knowing grin on the dark woman's face, then rolled her eyes with a chuckle. "Right...forgot who I was talking too."
"That you did."
As they walked along, Ashley cast her companion a curious look. "So...just how close can you actually get to a tiger? Seriously, I mean."
"Seriously?" Leandra considered. "It depends."
"On what?"
"Well...lots of things. Like - for example - how well the tiger knows me...what kind of mood it's in. Plus, some species are more aggressive than others. And I wouldn't get within a hundred feet of a male during mating season."
Ashley absorbed this slowly. "Well, what's the closest you've ever got? Have you ever petted one...like, a real wild one?"
A slightly uneasy expression tensed Leandra's features for a moment and she rubbed at her right shoulder as though pained. "Let's just say I've been closer than you'd ever want to get," she said softly.
Hearing from her tone that the dark woman was getting uncomfortable, Ashley easily moved the conversation on. "Do you always keep your body painted like that?"
Leandra smiled a little, grateful that Ashley seemed to understand enough not to push. "Pretty much," she replied. "It not only makes it easier to hide and blend in, it also helps to mask my scent."
"What do you use for paint?"

"Crushed ochre and other kinds of clay or mud." Leandra held up her patterned arm and showed it to the blonde. "I mix it with fat I take from my kills so it doesn't wash away so easy in the rain."
Ashley studied the grainy, rough texture of the paint, running a finger along Leandra's arm and feeling the slightly greasy finish. "How long does it last?"
Leandra shrugged. "Depends on how active I am. Usually a week or two, and then I wash it off and take a bath. It takes a few hours to redo it again." The dark woman was getting used to thinking in terms of days and hours again; frames of time she'd abandoned long ago, but which made more sense now that Ashley was around.
"Mmm." Ashley smiled as she admired the intricacy and attention to detail of Leandra's design. "Must be tough doing your back, huh?"
"It was at first," Leandra grinned, "but I got used to it. Now it's just another routine for me - I could do it blindfolded if I had too."
"Well, I think it looks nice." Ashley grinned at the shy smile she received from the simple complement. "Although," she added, "you scared the shit out of me the first time I saw you."
Leandra shrugged. "Yeah, well, that's another good thing about it; if the poachers do see me, they're usually so shocked they don't react quick enough to save themselves."
"Right." Ashley's smile faltered at the reminder that her companion was a killer. It was difficult to reconcile the memory of Leandra's bloody handiwork with the considerate, sometimes charming woman she was coming to like more and more each passing day. Despite the constant predatory air that seemed to hang around Leandra like a cloud, Ashley could see the oddly vulnerable woman that lived beneath the primal markings and tangled hair. While there was no doubt in the young photographer's mind that her companion was capable of extremely savage acts of violence, it was something she found very easy to forget about as she enjoyed the dark woman's company.
Leandra saw the fleeting look of disquiet in Ashley's oh-so-open expression, but before she could open her mouth to say something reassuring, the sharp report of a rifle shot in the distance echoed through the jungle, causing an instant clamoring among the startled birds in the canopy above. Leandra's body tensed immediately, her head cocked to the side and her eyes sharp. Ashley met her gaze for a moment, paling a little as she heard the subliminal growl rumble from her striped companion.
"That was too far away to be Tarun."
"Poachers," Leandra hissed, her eyes alight with a fire Ashley hadn't seen before.
"It could just be the rangers-"

"No," Leandra quickly rejected. "That's a large-caliber hunting rifle - only a poacher would have use for one out here." Ice blue eyes softened with true regret. "I'm sorry...I have to check it out."
Ashley sighed. "I understand," she said quietly, cursing the interruption to their day.
"There's a bend in the creek up ahead," Leandra said, equally disappointed. "If you want to, you can wait there for me and I'll be back as soon as I can."
"Okay."
Leandra nodded, then turned to leave. A slender hand grabbed her arm suddenly and pulled her back, however, and she glanced over her shoulder into worried green eyes.
"Be careful," Ashley whispered.
Leandra flashed a quick, toothy grin. "Always." Patting the blonde woman's hand reassuringly, she turned away and ran off into the jungle, her body blending quickly with the shifting shadows and dense undergrowth. Ashley watched her vanish, then sighed and continued on along the dry creek bed alone.
* * *
Leandra moved quickly and stealthily along barely visible forest trails, every sense open and alert to the slightest sound or presence. She knew this part of India better than any other, having spent the most amount of her time here, and she moved swiftly over the familiar ground. It wasn't long before her pace slowed, and she started stalking with greater care as she neared the place she guessed was the origin of the gunshot. Sniffing the air and listening attentively, Leandra found nothing out of place. A quick but thorough search failed to turn up any blood or tracks, and the dark woman snarled a little in frustration.
This had to be the place! From the echo, Leandra was certain the shot had been fired from here, or somewhere very close-by. And she knew from experience that poachers didn't take idle shots; they aimed only to kill, knowing that every shot fired meant the possibility of attracting the attention of any rangers in the area. Leandra didn't have anything to fear from the patrols, confident that she could avoid them if they came snooping around, but as she continued searching for some signs of the shooter, the sense that something was wrong here grew inside. It was nothing she could put her finger on...just a gut-feeling of disquiet that made her even more cautious than usual.
Eventually, her patience was rewarded. A single spent shell nestled among the leaf-litter caught Leandra's attention, and she swooped upon it immediately, cold eyes searching for and finding subtle tracks leading away. There was no sign of a kill, however...in fact, there was no sign of a target at all. Certainly no animal had been in this area for some time - a thought that made the striped woman all the more curious about why the shot had

been fired. Shrugging, she moved into the deeper cover of the shadows, and began to hunt her quarry.
After several minutes of pursuit, the tracks left behind the comforting shelter of the jungle and moved into more open ground near a steeply cascading river. Leandra hesitated, not liking to leave behind her cover and venture into the open while she was hunting. Pacing a few feet back and forth, growling without realizing she was doing so, the dark woman felt her anger rise with her frustration. She considered this her territory...her hunting ground. Having spent so much time modeling herself and her behavior after the great jungle cats, Leandra had picked up the same territoriality they possessed. This was an invasion, and she didn't like to let it go unpunished. Besides, if she let this poacher get away, it was possible he might actually find what he was almost certainly looking for...
Unwilling to give up the hunt, Leandra studied the surrounding wilderness carefully, then cautiously left behind the shelter of the undergrowth, every nerve-ending alive and ready to warn her of the slightest danger.
The tracks continued on for another hundred-odd paces, following the course of the river. For a while, Leandra had little trouble following them, then all of a sudden they disappeared into the rock-strewn waters. Crossing the swift-flowing but shallow river with remarkable agility, the dark woman searched along the banks for any continued sign.
Nothing. The poacher had seemingly vanished.
Before she could start to feel the frustration of her thwarted hunt, Leandra's senses picked up on something out of place - the instincts that had kept her alive out here for four long years screamed a silent warning, and Leandra's striped figure froze as she searched the surrounding wilderness for the cause of her discomfit. There was nothing visible, but the openness of her position now made her feel exposed and vulnerable. Not bothering to argue with her instincts, Leandra turned and ran as fast as she could back into the safety of the jungle. She wasn't going to jeopardize her safety for this hunt...and she had learned a long time ago when to give up and wait for a better opportunity.
Within a heartbeat, Leandra's figure was just another set of shadows cast by the canopy above, and she started making her way back to Ashley...wondering at the sense of peril that still disturbed her.
* * *
"Amazing!"
Jack Corbin breathed a quiet, impressed whistle, shaking his head a little as he watched the distant figure melt back into the underbrush. Even watching carefully through the

powerful binoculars, Jack couldn't find the woman once she'd disappeared. He turned back to his companion with a thin-lipped smile.
The plan had worked perfectly. As he had predicted, the single shot attracted the attention of the strange tiger-woman, and Jack had little trouble laying a trail for her to follow. Luring the stranger into the open allowed the poacher to watch from a safe distance where he could verify the threat she posed. And from what he'd seen, Jack had not been disappointed. His only regret was that their ruse may have alerted the woman to danger.
"It seems I owe you an apology, Shaun," he said softly. "As difficult as your story may be to believe, I can't deny the evidence of my own eyes." He chuckled a little. "Not quite a ghost, however...she's as much flesh and blood as you or I."
Shaun grunted, his arms folded across his chest angrily. "So why didn't you just shoot her from here?"
Jack shook his head. "She sensed us watching and ran," he said, still marveling at the strange woman's apparent hyper-awareness. "She's quick and wary...we'll need to set an ambush, which means finding her usual haunts first, then figuring out the pattern of her movements."
"Who is she?" the brawny red-head wondered aloud.
"Probably some half-crazed vigilante," Jack guessed with a shrug. "Some activist who took a bad trip and went nuts. Looks like she's been living out here a while...which means she must have developed a good survival instinct. More animal than human, I'll bet. Still..." He offered a confidant grin. "...we'll be the one's doing the hunting now, and while she may be fast, I doubt she'll be able to dodge a bullet!"
"That's if she's human," Shaun pointed out, still not entirely convinced. "She's the one what's killed all the other guys. I bet they were careful, too, but it didn't do 'em any good, did it?"
Jack scowled. "They were taken by surprise," he said softly. "She won't be expecting us to attack her." Seeing his words having little effect, the tall poacher sighed. "Look...that woman is all that stands between us and a fortune. We kill her, then we can start the hunt for the white tiger. If those scientist people find it before we do, we'll just go in and take it - nice and simple. Are you gonna let your idiotic superstitions stop you from getting a nice fat paycheck?"
Shaun reluctantly shook his head. "Of course not. But-"
"But nothing! She's just some whacked-out loon who's gone psycho and started killing poachers! We put her down, and then when we get out of here, everyone else'll be thanking us for getting rid of the 'tiger-ghost'." Jack clapped his brawny companion on

the shoulder and turned him back towards their camp. "This is the sort of thing that'll make for a powerful reputation," he continued enticingly. "We'll both be legends!"
Shaun's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Absolutely!"
"And you're sure we can get her?"
Jack grinned. "I've hunted everything on this planet that walks or crawls...trust me Shaun, humans are a lot easier to kill than the big cats that're out there."
Shaun considered carefully, unable to resist the tempting idea of being able to brag that he'd helped to kill the 'Indian Menace'. "Okay," he said. "What do we do first."
Jack patted his companion heartily on the back, and began to explain his simple plan.
* * *
"Hey!"
Ashley was sitting on a fallen log, trying not to fidget with concern, when the familiar low voice startled her. Jumping up and turning, she breathed a sigh of relief when Leandra's striped form emerged from the forest.
"Jeez Leandra, what'd I tell you about sneaking up on me!" she scolded.
"Sorry." Leandra smiled warmly, unable to hold a repentant expression. "I'll try to remember to make noise next time."
"Thanks." Ashley sat back down and gestured for Leandra to join her. "So what did you find?"
Leandra shook her head. "Nothing much," she said. "No blood or signs of a kill, and a single set of tracks that died in a river. But there was something strange about it...something wrong."
"Like what?"
"Well..." Leandra thought back on the warning her body had given her, trying to figure out what had caused the desire to flee. "It wasn't really something I could hear, or smell, or even see. But I could feel something out there...like I was being watched."
"I know what you're talking about," Ashley smiled. "I seem to recall experiencing the same thing the first night you paid me a visit."

Leandra shrugged with a wry smile. "Can't blame me for being interested," she said quietly. "You did set up camp in my hunting ground, remember."
"I know." Ashley considered Leandra's report. "Maybe the shot was just a signal or something," she suggested. "It's pretty easy to get lost out here if you don't know what you're doing. Maybe two groups were just using the sound of the gunshot to find each other."
"Maybe." The dark woman shook away the memory of the hunt, not wanting to have to think about her more primitive life while in Ashley's company. Being with the young blonde made her feel more human than she'd felt in a long time...the simple contact eased her concerns about the day-to-day struggle she faced in her exile. "You want to keep going? There's a nice little clearing not too far up ahead."
"Sure."
The two stood and continued on down the dry creek bed, Ashley starting a story of her niece's last escapade which had resulted in a suspension from school. Leandra listened attentively, a slight smile on her face as she enjoyed the simple pleasure of hearing another person speaking.
* * *
The next day, Ashley took her walk down by the river and, as usual, Leandra quickly joined her. As soon as the striped figure emerged from the jungle, the photographer noticed a mysterious smile on her friend's face, and quirked an eyebrow at her curiously.
"What are you smiling about?"
"Nothing big," Leandra replied. "There's a small herd of chitel feeding a few miles east of here in the grasslands. I found them last night, but there wasn't time to hunt, so I left it for today. I haven't been bringing in much prey lately, so this is good."
"Why haven't you been hunting?" Ashley asked, then suddenly realized the only possible reason. "Oh." She smiled shyly. "You know, you don't have to keep me entertained Leandra. If you need to hunt, that's fine. I don't want to be causing you problems."
"It's no problem." Leandra started guiding their footsteps along the river bank, heading east. "I'd rather spend the time with you; it's been a nice change for me to have another person around. But still, I could use the meat. I've been draining my rice supplies too quickly."
"So...I guess you can't do much today, huh?"
"Actually..." Leandra smiled shyly at her companion, "I was going to ask if you'd like to come with me. As long as you stay quiet, you shouldn't frighten them away."

Ashley's face lit up with pleasure at the invitation, delighted at the opportunity to see more of how Leandra lived out here. "I'd love to come! Are you sure you don't mind?"
"Very sure."
"Well, okay then. Great!"
Leandra was pleased her offer was so well-received; she knew from all the questions the young woman asked that Ashley was fascinated by her more primitive habits...by how she had survived out here as an animal for so long. Still, she didn't like to talk about it too much; didn't like the idea that she was less a human than a simple beast...even if sometimes it were true. While the dark woman felt a little awkward revealing what, to her, seemed a barbaric and uncultured habit, the fact of the matter was that she needed to hunt, but at the same time she didn't want to spend time away from Ashley. This was the best way to mix what she needed to do with what she wanted to do.
It took an hour to reach the place where the spotted deer were grazing, and Ashley's simple tank-top was dark with sweat and clinging to her lithe figure by the time they arrived. The young blonde noted with a little envy that Leandra wasn't even breathing hard, despite the humidity. The striped woman raised a hand to signal a halt just before the end of the dense jungle cover, her eyes intense and alive as she surveyed the open grasslands beyond. Ashley shivered a little with excitement, watching her companion interestedly as she sniffed the air.
"Alright," Leandra said very quietly, licking her lips. "Can you see them?" She pointed.
Ashley squinted, standing on tip-toes to see over the high grass, but shook her head. "Nope."
"Well, let's see if we can get a little closer then."
The two moved very slowly along the edge of the forest, Leandra making less noise than a ghost, while Ashley winced everytime she stepped on a dry twig or crinkly leaf, feeling clumsy next to the stealth of her friend. When they found a better position, Leandra pointed again and this time, Ashley was delighted to see the small group of chitel grazing cautiously no more than fifty feet away.
It was difficult to count how many deer there were, since some were sitting and resting, while others cropped at the dry grasses or stood on hind legs to reach the sweeter leaves of the trees above. Also, several of them seemed to be standing lookout; the large animals were well-accustomed to being prey for the great jungle cats or packs of scrawny wolves, and were suitably wary of any hunters. Ashley bit her lower lip.
"Can you get close enough without them seeing you?"

Leandra smiled a little at the question. "Seeing me? Yes. Smelling me is a little trickier. But they're not the biggest problem. Look in the tree branches...just above where they're feeding."
Ashley looked, her eyes narrowing in confusion. "Monkeys?"
"Uh huh. They might be able to spot me easier, and if they do they'll warn the chitel. The two groups often form alliances for mutual protection - it always helps to have friends out here when you're on the bottom of the food-chain."
Ashley shook her head, a little disappointed. She didn't see any way Leandra could hope to get anywhere near the skittish deer. It was clear the dark woman hunted in the same manner as the great cats she mimicked, and without a gun, or at least a bow or a spear, it seemed a hopeless task. "Well...maybe you could wait for a better opportunity."
Leandra smiled. "No need for that. Here...I'll help you into this tree so you can get a better view."
"Wait...you mean you think you can still do this?"
"Sure. I've stalked harder prey than this."
"But..." Ashley looked between Leandra and the chitel, confused. "How can you-" Painted fingers pressed against her lips and stopped her questions.
"Just watch...and learn."
With a helpful boost from her friend, Ashley climbed up into the lower branches of the stout tree and settled comfortably to watch. The extra height gave her a better view of the grassland, and she smiled down at Leandra.
"I'll be moving into the wind," the dark woman explained softly. "Just keep your eyes on that stretch of grass over there," she indicated with her hand, "and you should be able to see me okay."
"Alright. But I don't see how you can do this."
Leandra's eyes were predatory yet playful. "You will." Then she turned and vanished silently back into the jungle.
Ashley settled herself into a better position and waited, busying herself with checking her camera and getting ready to take photos should the opportunity present itself. Recalling what she'd read of tiger hunting techniques, the young woman thought it would be a miracle if Leandra could bring down one of the deer. The dark woman was agile, and she was certainly stealthy, but she was trying to use the same methods as a creature that must outweigh her by at least a hundred pounds. A tiger could use its weight and strength to

bring down prey, but Leandra had no such advantage. Also, Ashley remembered, a tiger had teeth...Leandra only had a set of claws, which, while they may have been long and admittedly very sharp, couldn't compete with the gifts nature had provided the super-predator cats. According to her reading, only about one in twenty tiger attacks were successful; how could Leandra match them? Shaking her head, the young blonde looked through the view-finder on her camera, and waited for her companion to reappear.
After a time, Leandra's tawny form emerged from the undergrowth. Ashley watched through the zoom on her camera, smiling a little. The dark woman was on all fours, holding herself only a few inches off the ground as she very slowly stalked towards the unsuspecting deer. Seeing her friend in action for the first time, Ashley now understood the merits of the body paint; the stripes blended in with the golden hue of the grasses, camouflaging Leandra very effectively. It took a while for the dark woman to gain ground on her wary prey, and she paused often to lay flat in grass, making sure the vigilant monkeys did not spy her moving closer. Ashley could only marvel at Leandra's endurance. She was sure she couldn't have held her body up like that for more than a few minutes, yet the dark woman seemed capable of maintaining her position indefinitely.
Damn, she's good, Ashley thought to herself, snapping a few quick shots and admiring the display of primal cunning before her. Through the camera, she could see the muscles all along Leandra's thighs, arms and stomach stand out like steel cords beneath the paint, and she shook her head in amazement. She's certainly got the body for this stuff...all muscle and sinew, barely a hint of fat on her whole frame. Tough, lean...sexy as hell...
Wait a minute...Sexy?
Green eyes blinked in confusion at the unusual assessment that came unbidden to her mind, then narrowed a little in honest speculation as Ashley reviewed the distant, crouched figure of her friend.
Well...she is sexy, she admitted frankly. She's got a body to die for, and absolutely gorgeous eyes. If her hair was introduced to a brush once in a while, I bet it'd look really great. And that husky, throaty voice...God, if she were one of those phone-sex girls, she'd make a fortune!
Ashley let her eyes roam a little more personally over Leandra, her lips pursing in serious contemplation. Plus, she added mentally, she's got that whole sexual predator thing going on...even if she's not aware of it. When she purrs, or stretches herself...I don't think she has any idea how hot that looks.
Green eyes rolled a little. God, Ashley, I didn't think you went in for the 'bad-girl' type! Still, the young woman couldn't deny the simple truth: Leandra was an extremely sexy, sensual creature, and she could admit to feeling more than a little attracted to her.
As Ashley was pondering her unusually desirous thoughts, Leandra had moved to within striking distance, and was now crouched in the tall grass on her haunches, visibly

gathering her energy before she pounced. Ashley thought the tall woman seemed particularly cat-like at that moment, and was certain that if Leandra had possessed whiskers and a tail, they would both have been twitching with anticipation. The photographer snapped away with her camera unconsciously, her body tense with excitement and awe.
In a sudden burst of movement, Leandra pounced. Her attack was brief and incredibly swift, the dark woman throwing herself bodily at one of the smaller doe's with enough power to knock the startled creature off its feet and onto its side. Even before Leandra's hands had wrestled for a grip on her victims neck, the rest of the herd leapt away and sprinted desperately from the scene. In the trees above, the monkeys raised a chorus of protest and indignation at the stealthy intruder, seeking cover among the higher branches of their roost. The doe was stronger and tougher than Leandra, and quickly tried to regain its balance to flee...but a moment later Leandra attacked with a devastating, almost frenzied series of slashing swipes with her clawed hands, tearing out the throat of the terrified deer and holding it against the ground until it stopped thrashing.
Ashley's mouth hung open at the savage display, images of the mauled poachers rising again in her mind. She shuddered, now seeing a more graphic display of Leandra's killing technique and imagining how she must have used it against the human intruders. The young blonde lowered the camera with shaking hands. The attack had lasted only seconds, and had taken the deer completely by surprise - they'd never even seen it coming.
Swift, brutal, and frightfully effective...Leandra's hunting style was every bit as awesome a spectacle as a real tiger attack.
Still, Ashley hadn't been a wildlife photographer for so many years without seeing much that was savage and brutal. It was, she reminded herself, simply the way the natural world often worked. Leandra had lived in the wild for four years, making her home among some of the most effective predators on Earth. So of course, she'd had to learn to endure the harsh environment - had learned to hunt and survive just as the tigers had.
The only difference being that Leandra could defend herself against the one threat the great cats were helpless against: man.
Quickly securing the film from her camera in a plastic case, Ashley scampered down the tree and dashed over to her friend. When she reached Leandra, she was a little surprised to find the woman's painted skin shimmering under a light sweat, and her breathes coming hard - almost panting. Trying to ignore the spattered blood that marked the dark woman's body, and her crimson-stained hands, Ashley beamed a brilliant smile.
"That was incredible!" she said, crouching down next to her friend. "I've never seen anything like it!"

Leandra grinned, rubbing her side a little where the thrashing hooves of her prey had struck a glancing blow. "Thanks," she panted, wiping her bloody hands in the grass and admiring her kill proudly. "It took a lot of practice to get the hang of hunting like this, but..." She shrugged. "It's how I was taught."
Ashley studied the slain doe, grimacing slightly at the horribly torn throat. "What now? I mean...you're not just gonna start ripping it apart with your teeth, right?"
"Of course not." Leandra chuckled a little, the throaty sound rumbling deep in her belly. "I'll butcher it here - take the best parts with me and leave the rest for the wolves and the carrion feeders. I can dry and salt some of the meat, and eat the rest tonight."
Ashley looked dubiously at Leandra's claws. "You can't carve a carcass with those, can you?"
"No." Leandra reached into a hidden pocket stitched into the folds of her brief skirt and pulled out a small piece of flint-stone. She held it up, displaying a wickedly sharp edge. "When I first came out here I had a steel knife, but it's gone now. I use this instead."
"Oh."
Ashley watched her friend swiftly cut away the skin of the doe and begin to harvest the best parts; the haunches, flanks and chest. Having spent time among tribal people both in Africa and Australia, Ashley wasn't at all squeamish about the butchering process. She took the slices of bloody meat from Leandra and laid them on a bed of grasses she made. As Leandra worked, her eyes constantly flicked about them nervously, and Ashley watched her curiously.
"You expecting someone?"
Leandra shrugged. "A kill doesn't go unnoticed out here for long," she explained. "In a few minutes, something's bound to find us and we have to be gone before that happens. I don't want to have to fight off a pack of hungry wolves."
Ashley understood, and started eyeing the surrounding grasslands with more trepidation. "Has that ever happened before?"
"A few times," Leandra said simply. "During the first months I was out here, I didn't have much luck catching food for myself. I um...I had to scavenge what I could from the kills of others."
Ashley didn't even want to think what kinds of things Leandra must have eaten to survive. "Good thing you got better, huh?"
"Yeah."

Finishing up hurriedly, the two friends gathered the bundles of meat and hastened away from the open grasslands, both women feeling much better as soon as they were once more in the shadows of the jungle. Leandra led the way back to her cave, where she invited Ashley to stay for lunch. The blonde was only too happy to agree, and they enjoyed a simple meal of venison and some kind of root vegetable that was sweet and nutty. Afterwards, Ashley helped her friend start curing the rest of the meat, first cutting it into thin strips and then laying it out on a rock by the fire to dry. She noticed Leandra's appetite was somewhat voracious, and grinned.
"You remind me of my niece's cat," she said. "Everytime you offer her food, she just can't resist, even if she's already full."
"It's a survival trait," Leandra said around a mouthful of charred venison. "You eat as much as you can, as quick as you can, before something bigger and stronger comes along and takes over."
"Will the meat attract anything to the cave? I mean, the animals must be able to smell it from a mile away."
"They won't come here," Leandra said confidently. "A wolf won't get too close to a tiger or a leopard unless it's starving...and the same goes for me." She gave a feral grin. "I have the privilege of being near the top of the food-chain."
"Oh...right."
Ashley watched her friend surreptitiously as she used a rag to wash away the blood from her hands, green eyes wandering along the tall woman's body with subtle stealth. She quickly became lost in the effect the rippling muscles had on the patterned skin, dark stripes flexing with every movement Leandra made. Ashley tried to imagine what Leandra might look like without the paint, and was surprised to find the image difficult to conjure. She was so accustomed to the stripes that she barely even noticed them as being unusual anymore; they were as much a part of Leandra as the claws, or the purring, or the aura of primal power she projected. With a roguish smile, Ashley allowed herself the guilty delight of enjoying the fact that her friends outfit left so very little to the imagination...and was soon trying to mentally fill in the few blanks that remained.
"Ashley?"
"Hmm?" Green eyes snapped into focus suddenly, and Ash blushed a little, realizing her mind had been about to take a happy little jaunt down Fantasy Lane. Fortunately, Leandra was apparently focused on her task of preparing the meat.
"Could you get me the salt? It's in that small crate on the top over there."
"Oh...um, sure. No problem." Shaking her head ruefully, Ashley cleared her throat and retrieved the small paper bag filled with white salt. Handing it to Leandra, she settled

down on her rock seat and continued to watch as her friend proceeded to salt the meat a little, the dark woman working quickly and easily. Ashley smiled to herself, and tried hard not to notice just how well-formed Leandra's hands and fingers really were.
She succeeded...but only because her eyes quickly found other - even more interesting - parts of the tiger-woman to study.
* * *
It was nearly dark by the time Ashley made it back to camp, and Grady and Tarun were obviously starting to get nervous about her prolonged absence. At first they greeted her return with relieved thanks, but that quickly dissolved into another lecture.
"If you're going to go out there traipsing through the jungle with that woman, the least you can do is come back at a reasonable hour!" Grady fumed, towering over his diminutive partner, who, as usual, showed not the slightest hint of being intimidated.
"I was perfectly alright!" Ashley returned, glaring up at him. "If I want to stay out there all night with Leandra, that's my business, not yours!"
"Oh really? So you'll just forget about your friends who are back here, worried sick about you, is that it?" Grady took a deep breath and tried to calm himself, knowing it wasn't going to do any good if he got angrier. "Look, Ashley...just try to remember that when you're gone for that long, and we have no idea where you are-"
"You did know where I was!" Ashley interrupted. "I was with Leandra...and that means I'm safe! She'd never let anything hurt me."
Grady scowled, then noticed flecks of dark crimson staining the young woman's arms and clothing. He pointed. "So what's this? Blood?"
Ashley flushed a little. "It's not mine," she explained. "She took me hunting...I got a little dirty, that's all."
Grady threw his hands up in disbelief. "Hunting!? Are you going to try telling me that's not potentially dangerous?"
"No," she said angrily. "But it's certainly no more dangerous than any of the other things I've done. Why is it pissing you off so much that I'm spending time with this woman?"
"I just don't like you taking risks when you don't need too, that's all." Grady shook his head and sat down next to the fire. Simon and Grace sat quietly and tried hard not to look like they were taking sides. "We're here to do a job, Ashley...not spend time with the locals."
"And Leandra's helping me do my job."