Chapter 17
A Father's Doubt
Perched high above, Salect wrestles with his own anxieties. He questions his strength and resourcefulness, wondering if he can truly protect his family through the perilous night.
The afternoon sun, a watery disc behind a veil of bruised clouds, cast long, distorted shadows across the savannah. It was a time of heightened tension, a symphony of rustling grasses and distant roars that spoke of a relentless hunt for survival. But within this vibrant, often brutal, theatre, Salect found a sliver of peace. He was a creature of the shadows, a master of camouflage, and for now, he rested. High in the sturdy branches of an acacia tree, his powerful muscles relaxed, his keen eyes surveying the world below. The air was thick with the scent of dry earth and the promise of rain that never seemed to arrive.
A flicker of movement caught his attention, a blur of golden fur against the muted greens and browns of the landscape. Kingwol, the cheetah, his usual companion in these moments of quiet observation, was approaching. There was an oddity to their alliance, a whisper of the natural order bent. Cheetahs and leopards, rivals by instinct, yet Kingwol and Salect shared a curiosity that transcended the ingrained competition. Kingwol, with his impossibly long legs and restless spirit, had always been drawn to Salect, perhaps to the leopard’s quiet strength, his ability to hold his ground when speed alone wasn’t enough.
“Salect,” Kingwol’s voice was a soft rumble, surprisingly gentle for a predator known for its explosive bursts of speed. He paused at the base of the tree, his gaze fixed upwards. “Lyla is waiting by the watering hole. Leo is living.”
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