Africa Calls.

Chapter 14.
                                                                 

Tucked away from human eyes, she groomed  her cubs. The male leopard was a sturdy little cub and full of mischief. Several times she had had to cuff him and growl to remind him not to venture outside just yet. At least not without her.
His sister was different. She was a pinkish colour, and seemed to shimmer when the light hit her coat. Some of her spots were different too. Her mother gave her a lick, and then settled down for the cub to suckle. They were both getting too big for this now, both enjoyed joining her in the kill she brought back, but she liked the comfort it gave her and the cubs. When it was nightfall she would venture out and hunt for them all. The cubs would have settled down and be asleep.
The moonlight was filtering through the trees as she stealthily left her cubs, curled up asleep and made her way out of the rocks. Carefully scenting the air for anything suspicious she made her way down to the river. She drank thirstily and when satisfied looked around. A few animals had come down to do the same, and she spotted a young zebra foal, standing wobbly on it's legs not far from where she was now. The reeds and grass gave her cover so she carefully made her way round, and watched.
Something unsettled the animals, and with a few heads coming up and a whisk of the tail, they fled the water bank to stand off a little distance away. The foal was unsure what to do and stood there bleating for it's mother, calling out to her. She looked round at her foal aware something was not right.
                                                           

The leopard came in for the kill, pandemonium breaking out amongst the other animals which now scattered in a blur of dust. The kill was quick and she dragged her evenings meal up into the nearest tree.
It would not be long before the hyenas and wild dogs would get the scent of blood.
Sometime in the night when all was quiet she came down from the tree and dragged her kill to another place nearer to her cave. It was time to show her cubs the kill and let them feed. It would soon be time to teach them the way of life, and the dangers that awaited them.
Unknown to her, for had she known, she would have moved them that night. Danger lurked.

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Gradually filling in the head and coming down the face. Took my picture with me to work on when I was at an art and craft exhibition. Think it got a little smudged travelling back in my bag.
It got too hot and sticky to actually do much to it though.

Catch up with me next week.