Chapter 03
The cubs find their own mates
Author's note --
This is a work of pure fiction. There is no connection to any real people or places. Any resemblance to real life people, events, or someone else's writings is coincidental. It is for entertainment only and is not to be reproduced without written consent.
This story contains a non-human interaction. If that's not something you are into, try finding something else to read. To get a better understanding of this story, go back and read Ch. 02, A Mate for Life.
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The male and female mountain lions had bred the year before and had produced a pair of male cubs. With the parents being of prime age for breeding, the cubs were healthy and strong. With plenty of game in their remote northern American Rocky Mountain habitat, their mother Felicia, was able to provide them with plenty of milk, ensuring a fast growth from the start. When the cubs were old enough to hunting with the parents, they quickly picked up the skills to hunt small game and survive on their own.
At the end of the day, the cubs' mother, Felicia, would lick their golden fur, helping to keep their coats clean and shiny. At the same time, the male mountain, Lionel, would groom his mate Felicia in the same manner. During these times, the den reverberated with the throaty purring of the contented family.
In these times of contentment, Felicia would have vague images and recollections. It was almost as if she had once been something else. There were images of strange canyons of hard stone and walls that reflected brilliant sunlight. What was most unexplainable was that instead of walking on all fours, she was walking on just her hind legs and there were similar creatures walking in the same manner.
There were also vague recollections of the first time she met her mate Lionel, not far from the den. How she had taken to him right away and followed him to his den. There was something about the first time Lionel had mated with her, she was on her back and he was on top. This was the only time he had mated with her that way. After that, he had always taken from the rear, his big paws clutching at her chest, and his jaws nipping at the back of her neck. He always knew when she was in heat. His nose would pick of the scent of her moistening sex and his tongue would lap at the opening causing extra stimulation so that she was more than ready for his hard prick to penetrate her and fill her with his seed.
For two years, the cubs Rajah and Felix, had been nurtured by their parents. With each passing month of their maturity, they ventured off for longer and longer periods of time. Sometimes they hunted alone and sometimes they hunted together. Even when they were apart, there was a sense of being together. The sounds of the forest, the sights, the smells were as if it were a shared experience.
Sometimes when they ventured far from the parental den, they came close to humans. During those times their keen sense of smell would pick up the human scent from quite a distance. Not only that, but a peculiar trait of human scent would cause a transformation of their physical form. They became similar in form to the humans they observed. This transformation allowed them close contact without fear of being shot. They were able to observe the human behavior and speech. While it was educational to observe these human males and females, Rajah and Felix much preferred the simpler life in the wild.
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It was late Fall in the high country when two biologists, Kitty and Tabitha set off on a four week field trip to do a survey of Bald Eagles in the area. The 25 yr old women were accustomed to the rigors of the wild, with supple bodies and strong legs. Both Kitty and Tabitha had ancestral native American backgrounds that probably contributed to their love of the North American Rocky Mountain wilderness. It was almost as if they were inextricably linked to the wildlife they studied.
They had heard tell of three pairs of eagles that had nested in the tall trees near some remote mountainous terrain. The women knew that kind of area would be perfect for the eagles. The tall trees offered perfect nesting habitat and the mountain cliffs would promote strong updrafts, perfect for soaring for hours in search of food.
It was nearly a 3 day hike from the closest road to the place where an old Indian had reported seeing a pair of eagles. From there, it was another day's hike before they spotted their first eagle. Since they knew an eagle's hunting range usually was fairly close to the nesting site, Kitty and Tabitha picked the first clearing they came to, for pitching their tents. They would use this as a base to start out from every morning. Besides, the ring of evergreens around the clearing, would provide a windbreak from the cold winds and snow, should that happen.
Every morning after breakfast, the two would climb to a high vantage point, high up on the face of the mountain for an unobstructed view of the whole valley. There they would sit in a crudely constructed windbreak of pine boughs, and quietly observe.
It was on the fifth day of their observations that they noticed some different kinds of tracks. In the lower elevation closer to their campsite, there were the unmistakable hoof marks of deer. Occasionally, they spotted some hare in a clearing, munching on the wild flowers. As they climbed higher, a set of paw prints, about the size of mountain lion, followed the trail for a short while. The women were prepared for the possibility of meeting large predators, and had come armed with a carbine lightly strapped to the side of their packs.
The women were nearing their lookout point, with only a hundred yards to go. This part of the climb was the most treacherous. It was steep and the ground was composed of loose soil and rock. The only way up was single file, Kitty in the front and Tabitha close behind.