Page 24 of Sanctuary

Chapter Sixteen

Savage Sanctuary Island, Simon

“I’ll take you to the hut,” Simon said. “There’s food, and you can get dry and keep Indra company while I round up the other cats. One is injured, and I may need to bring him back with me, but I promise you’ll be safe,” he added, glancing quickly at Sarah because she encouraged him with smiles, and he liked her. He might like Misty too, but he wasn’t sure about Paige. She didn’t smile, and she looked at him, not quite in fear, but in definite mistrust. The two new cat’s brought into the sanctuary had the same expression.

“Is it warm there?” Sarah asked, visibly shaking with chattering teeth.

Simon looked her straight in the eyes, something that usually made him uncomfortable. “It’s warm, I promise,” he said.

“Okay, can we hurry?”

Simon took off his rain slicker and placed it over her shoulders, being careful not to touch her when he did it. She was being nice, and he didn’t want to scare her. The slicker reached her ankles and would protect her from the storm.

“I don’t have another one,” he said to Paige and Misty, his eyes downcast.

“It’s okay,” Misty said. “But I’m with Sarah and just want to be warm.”

“Thank you,” said Sarah and touched his hand.

An odd expression came across Simon’s face before it disappeared. The cats touched him, and every so often Yolanda kissed his cheek, but contact with another person was something that rarely happened in his world. He liked that Sarah wasn’t afraid of him.

“What about the lions that you call cats? You said they’re out there. They might attack,” Paige insisted.

“If you walk next to Indra, they won’t bother you. The cats are afraid of him.” Simon kept his gaze on the floor.

Paige didn’t say anything, but Simon knew her face would be mean.

“I’m cold,” Sarah said. “Stay here if you don’t want to be warm.”

Simon looked up in time to see Paige give Sarah an evil glare. Then she shrugged.

“Okay, but if this is a trick,” she said, giving Simon her best impression of menace, “I don’t care how big you are, I’ll hurt you.”

Simon met her gaze. “I don’t like to be hurt,” he replied simply.

Paige glanced at Misty, and it was Misty’s turn to give Paige a dirty look.

“You’re outvoted,” Misty said sternly, leaving no room for argument.

Paige shrugged and looked away.

“You can hold onto his fur like this.” Simon showed them how to grab a section of the skin on Indra’s back and hold on. Sarah placed her hand on the tiger’s back, but Misty and Paige did not. “Stay close and stay with Indra if I need to handle one of the cats.”

“Is that a dart gun?” Paige asked.

“Yes,” he nodded his head. “It will put a cat to sleep really quick.”

“What about the men?” she asked, her tone holding belligerence.

“If I shoot one of them with it, they’ll go down too.”

“Can I carry it?”

Simon thought about it for a moment. “What if you accidentally shoot it and hit one of us?”

“I grew up hunting with my dad and brother. I know how to use a gun.” Her eyes challenged him.

“Okay, but if I need it back, will you promise to give it to me?” Simon asked.

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