I woke up in a cottage.

Eventually my vision returned and I noticed a dinner table with deer heads hanging from the fireplace and...

My jaw dropped.

"Veera?"

"Shut up."

Our hands were both bound and attached to the uncomfortable chairs that we'd been placed in.

I immediately searched around for my podium. It was next to the door lying on the floor. They probably dumped it there when they couldn't figure out what it was.

They better not have broken it.

Suddenly I felt the urge to cough.

The fire was going and it was stinking up the place but there was also a very notable smell that made me want to gag.

It was probably just from lack of cleaning.

"What are you doing here?" I asked in a slightly hushed tone.

"Looking for you." She snorted realising the irony.

"Where's Jake?"

"Probably getting drunk back at Ernie's. Alluna took him off the search."

'Ernie's' was the name of the brothel he'd taken me too. It was hard to forget the name since it shone boldly in lights.

"And you're still on it?"

I knew the question would provoke her but she did lose Malvin three times.

She grinned resentfully. "They seem to think I'll be more effective. If I'd just been on you from the start you'd be back at Alluna's by now."

"I doubt that," I countered. "Unless being tied to a chair is a part of your plan."

Something about her made me just as bitter as she was. It reminded me of kinder-garden when the meanest comment in a fight takes the cake. I couldn't help it.

I hated her.

The door flapped open and I felt Veera tense beside me.

I didn't have time to ask her who we were up against, but since I remembered one calling me supper, it couldn't be good.

A fat man with a lot of facial hair had marched in casually carrying a gun.

Phyllis trailed behind with equal ammunition.

"See, I told you's it was good one." He pointed at me. "My one's got more meat on it's bones. We can give your one over there to Shir."

"I suppose you're right, Billy. Looks like you finally did something right for a change."

I was so shocked I barely noticed they were calling me fat.

She looked at me like Alex the lion looked at Marty in Madagascar when he was hungry.

Oh shit.

Phyllis studied me and then Veera.

"How do you wanna do this Billy? Shot to the head. Or get the parts from Shir. It is always easier that way."

"We're not giving them both to that damn lion."

"I didn't say we were. I just-"

"Lion?" I blurted out.

Veera scowled at me for speaking but my question was soon answered when I heard a vicious roar from outside. It made my skin crawl.

"Oh come on Billy. She's hungry," Phyllis pouted. "Let her have 'em first and then we can take the rest."

"There's barely enough here for the three of us, Phil. Now you want to go bringing the lion into it."

I glanced around.

I hadn't seen any sign of a third person but it's possible they were still out 'hunting'. There were three place mats on the table. It just meant more people to escape from.

"I'm just saying it's more fun to hear them scream. I'd never let my own son starve."

"But you'd let your husband?"

"Course not."

I flipped my head to Veera.

In a way, I just wanted to see if she had a plan or if I had to make my own one. She was supposed to be some kind of chicken-legged ninja.

From the look on her face, she wasn't going to show her skills anytime soon.

"Fine we'll give them to the lion then we'll take the parts. As long as I get that one's leg." He gestured down at me.

I needed to think of something. And fast.

Billy left the room to get more firewood and I did what I always did in a bad situation.

I tried to talk myself out of it.

"Where's your son?"

Phyllis's head shot up. She was obviously surprised that I'd dared to say anything. I ignored Veera's glare of disapproval because I didn't see her doing anything constructive.

"You sure are a chatty one, aren't you?"

"I was just wondering because you spoke about him very um... lovingly and I haven't seen him around so I thought-"

"Well he sees you honey." The old woman laughed. "Now listen here, I've been raised right and I don't like to talk to my food. So shut the hell up!"

I went silent for a moment.

"What do you mean he sees me?"

"Are you deaf and blind, girl? Maybe I should just shoot you in the head right now." I could tell by the tone in her voice she was starting to get annoyed. "He's right over here."

Her arm led to a pile of bones on the table and before I could really process she threw a tiny human skull onto my lap. I felt a sinking feeling as I began to understand how crazy these people really were.

It hit me just then that this actually could be the end for me. The gun fired in my direction and barely missed my fingers.

I let out a girlish shriek and didn't dare talk directly to her again. The woman walked over to a shelf and pulled out a jar with two human eyeballs.

"There." She placed them next to the bones. "Now he can stare at you."

Then she went back to her seat and pulled out a ball of yarn and began to knit.

"I think I'm going to throw up," I mumbled.

"Don't you dare," Veera whispered. "These Karnoi are disgusting enough."

"Why do you immediately assume they're Karnoi?" I felt the urge to defend myself.

"Would you look at them?" She shook her head. "They're... animals."

I wasn't so sure. I mean, they definitely were crazy savages, but I didn't think they were Karnoi. I hadn't seen any glowing eyes and something inside of me just... knew.

The same way I could tell Veera was one.

"I think you're wrong." I said under my breath.

"Would you shut up?" The woman screamed. "You're giving my son a damn headache."

I flinched as she got up from her seat.

"You know what? I don't have to wait for Billy. I might as well just throw you in there now."

She pulled the knife from the table and untied me. I tried to throw a punch at her but she grabbed my arm and tightened her grip so hard that I swear I heard something crack. I screeched in pain as she pushed me towards the back door.

Out the corner of my eye, I could see Veera waiting patiently as if nothing was happening. She was almost as psychotic as mommy dearest over here.

I knew I was doomed when Phyllis got the door opened. I could see the lion licking her lips on the other side. She was confined in a large metal cage that extended around the door.

Nowhere to escape, I thought to myself.

Suddenly there was a loud sound that resembled a gunshot and then a piercing scream, from outside of the cabin.

Phyllis looked back, which gave me just enough time to grab onto the door handle with both hands. My small success, however, didn't last for long. All she had to do was give me one firm push and I went flying into the lion's den.

I'd heard a story about some crazy guy who'd decided "God was calling to him". He slipped into the lion's den at the zoo thinking he was the next Daniel. They found him the next day ripped to shreds, piece by piece, lying on the floor. I suddenly felt sick when I realised that was about to be me.

By the time I got up to my feet, the lion had already started circling around me.

"Hi Lion..." I began, although I wasn't so sure I could talk my way out this one.

"It's "Shir" right? That's a nice name." I breathed. "Shir."

I couldn't have run if I'd had anywhere to go. My feet were glued to the floor.
"Tell me you're friendly Shir."

She let out a loud roar.

Just as she was about to pounce something happened...

I don't know how to describe it exactly. It's one of those things that you have to experience for yourself to really understand, but I suddenly I felt this very clear connection.

I suppose it would be the feeling you get when you're with a loved one or even a pet but it was amplified into one single moment.

And the next thing I know the lion's sitting down in front of me.

I didn't know what I was thinking, but I took a step towards her and slowly extended my hand to pat the lion. At first she didn't move and shared my skepticism, but then she began to move her head around, enjoying the touch like a household cat.

"You're not so bad, are you Shir?" I bent down to stare her in the eyes. "Now let's go save Veera."

Somehow she understood me. In seconds the door was opened and Shir didn't hesitate. All I saw was a shocked expression on Phyllis's face before Shir pounced on her.

"Don't kill her." I ordered as if she could speak English.

"Untie me!" Veera yelled from her chair.

"But you look so comfortable over there."

She scowled.

In the mean time, Phyllis let out a scream.

It hadn't been the first, but it definitely was the loudest. From what I could see Shir had broken an arm, but I could tell she wasn't making an effort to hurt her too much. She was just pinning her down.

I realised that I didn't have the time to quarrel with Veera. I ran over to her and picked up a knife and cut the rope. Veera immediately reached for the gun that was lying against the wall. I leapt in front of her.

"Don't you dare touch her."

It was the first time I'd seen it - and a part of me thought I never would- but Veera's eyes flicked golden.

It was only for a second, but it was there. She relaxed her hold on the gun.

"I won't touch the lion," she swore. "Just the child-killing bitch."

I was about to protest but she pushed me out of the way and I flung straight into the table making my lip bleed.

I was not having a good day.

She made the shot before I could get up and the screams immediately stopped.

"Why did you do that?" I yelled at Veera.

"Because she was crazy!" Veera defended. "And obvious, you are too if you wanted to let her live."

Shir started to make a growling sound from beside me. It was directed at Veera and I placed my hand on Shir's head to assure her it was okay.

When I was younger my mom had given me a stuffed toy lion. She'd told me that I was the strongest person she knew.

"A lion for a lion."

It almost felt like that's what Shir was;
a gift from my mom.

"So what?" Veera asked. "You've found a new pet. Why should I be surprised you're both animals?"

"Get over yourself Veera." I gritted my teeth. "Do I look like an animal? I'm human Veera! And so are you!"

Her eyes widened.

Not at me.
She was looking at who just walked through the door.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Jake."

This chapter gave some clarity on the title. And now Pacem has a new pet :D

Would you want a Lion as a pet? I know I would.