Elayne's ordinary life takes a drastic turn when she discovers she is part of an ancient prophecy tied to the mythical kingdom of Elyssanar. Guided by Solaris, a unique companion with secrets of his own, Elayne embarks on a journey fraught with chal...
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I was almost late that morning.
In my rush, I ended up forgetting my wet uniform in the washing machine. Trying to blend in, I put on a nice cream-colored blouse and black leggings paired with some work boots.
When I got there, Mr. Hatten beckoned me over in a hurry. Thankfully, he didn’t notice my self-made work clothes. “Stay off to the side as they let him out. I don’t want him to attack because he’s cornered,” Hatten instructed all of us as the truck began to back in.
A smaller enclosure was already prepped to lead the big cat in from the truck. As Hatten instructed the driver and finally halted it, I could feel a tingling sensation in my stomach. It was weird, like a major case of butterflies. I smothered it with excitement as the door fell down and the handler approached the inside.
Inside, you could hear the pacing of big paw steps going back and forth in the cage. It felt like I reciprocated that anxiety as the handler tried to coax the leopard to emerge. Hatten stood next to the side of the back of the truck, but I could tell he was just as anxious as the rest of us.
Finally, the big cat emerged just a little, enough that its whiskers appeared from my point of view. The handler coaxed it out enough that its large paw took a step. However, once the rope wound around its neck, it lashed out, striking a paw against the pole and backing up into the far back of the truck.
The handler tried again and again, but the leopard continued to stay where it was. Hatten seemed disappointed and looked around for something to help bring the big cat out.
I wasn’t sure what it was, but I could feel the cat’s fear from where I stood a few feet away. It was almost overwhelming.
“Hold on,” I said without thinking about it.
I approached cautiously and took the pole from the handler’s tight grip. Hatten seemed to want to stop me, but I was already on the lip of the truck’s back door. Inside, the cat’s presence was shrouded in darkness, but I could sense it in the corner. The anxiety and fear were palpable.
“Hey. Come on. Nobody’s going to hurt you,” I called into the truck. The slightest movement caught my eye as the leopard perked its ears my way. Its head lifted toward me, intrigued.
“You’re okay. My name is Elayne. What’s yours?” I asked, aware of the murmurs from the small crowd watching us. They were probably questioning why I was talking to the animal.
“Hey. I’m not going to hurt you, hun. I promise. We’re just going to take you somewhere you’ll enjoy. Then you’ll be free to explore, just as I know you want to.” I didn’t realize I was almost inside the truck until my sight adjusted.
