“Then we figure something else out. But rushing in now is suicide.” Lisa nodded, though her hands wouldn’t stop shaking. Every part of her screamed to act. But Nina was breathing. Her kitten was alive. That had to be enough—for now. They watched from cover for over an hour.
The lion never strayed far. She stretched once, stood, and slowly circled the clearing. Her movements were heavy, deliberate, like a sentinel guarding something precious. Then she stopped. Her head turned, not randomly, not scanning.