Page 23 of Beasts of Mine

The certainty in his answer caught my attention.

Not there usually aren't.

There should not be.

I looked at him more closely.

“How do you know that?” I asked the leopard, pausing with the antiseptic in my hand.

His gaze held mine.

I know this forest, the leopard answered, offering nothing more as his tail moved once against the damp ground. There was clearly more to that statement.

I filed it away.

“This is going to sting,” I warned the leopard, bringing the antiseptic toward the cut on his side.

That warning would have been more useful before the saline, the leopard replied dryly, one ear twitching as I began cleaning the injury.

I stared at him for a second.

“Are you criticizing my bedside manner?” I asked the leopard, trying not to laugh while carefully wiping dried blood from his fur.

Yes, the leopard answered without hesitation, his gaze remaining fixed on my hands.

“Rude,” I told him, although my smile probably ruined any attempt at offense. “You're getting free medical care in the middle of the rainforest.”

I did not ask for it, the leopard pointed out, lowering his head again.

“You also told me to leave,” I reminded him, smoothing clean gauze around the worst section of his leg. “We've already established that I'm bad at listening.”

I noticed, the leopard replied, and once again I heard the amusement beneath his voice. By the time I finished, sweat dampened the back of my neck despite the shade. I sat back on my heels and removed the gloves, relieved to see that the wounds looked much better once the dirt and blood were gone.

“Nothing feels broken,” I told the leopard, packing the used supplies into a small disposal bag. “The side wound should close on its own if you stop stretching it open, and the leg needs rest for at least a couple of days.”

The leopard raised his head.

I hunt, the leopard replied, his expression becoming almost offended by the suggestion that he simply stop.

“Not today you don't,” I told him, giving him a firm look while closing the medical kit.

I need to eat, the leopard argued, shifting his body slightly before the wound along his side immediately pulled.

I pointed toward the movement.

“That,” I told the leopard, raising one eyebrow. “That is exactly why you're not going hunting.”

His ears tipped backward. For one ridiculous moment, he looked like an irritated house cat rather than a predator capable of killing me.

“I'll bring you something,” I told the leopard before common sense had a chance to intervene.

His entire expression changed.

The irritation disappeared.

You will return? the leopard asked, his voice becoming noticeably softer as his attention settled fully on me.

The question caught me off guard. I looked down at the medical kit while fastening the buckle.