graceful in motion and sculpted in posture.
I drop out of the saddle, jostling the Winchester repeater in the boot of it— sometimes prey is out of claw’s reach. Almost unloop my satchel from the pommel, but then leave it. Though I’m not in the habit of leaving cash lay out, Mei Xiu takes it as an insult if I don’t trust her manservant with my possibles.
Her manservant is a stern-faced Siamese. He’s supposed to be some manner of butler, but I’ve seen him practicing with those funny little daggers of his. He sits there in his tailed coat, derby, and striped trousers. I can feel those steel-blue eyes even when I turn away, as if he’s uncomprehending on the fact that I could rip him down the middle if I were inclined.
Mei Xiu snaps her fan closed.
I face her. She’s a few inches shorter than me, but I’ve seen what she can do with those wide paws, with that refined mouth. A shiver runs through me. Reckon it’s queer how the both of us came across continents just to find so fine a mirror. Were it not for a little fur, a few stripes, we could be of the same breed. Most folks are too thick to appreciate things like this. We appraise each other for a long while before she speaks.
“Mister Hayes.” Her English is clear and sharp as cut glass. To this day, I’m unsure if she’s a genuine Chinese or just of the stock. My inquiries find no purchase on her, and like any good predator she melts into the shadows regularly, vanishing until she wants to be found. Took me a month and more than a few bribes to even learn what she went by. Her real name’s Soon-Hooey-Zong or some such, but after I said it wrong for about the twentieth time she told me to just call her Mei Xiu. Not long after, we began these little rendezvous.
“Madam, you are looking radiant as ever.” I take her paw and bow, kissing it all formal-like. Something about her bearing commands such things. Her paw is at once soft and powerful, just like her scent, just like everything else about her.
“I must admit I was surprised when you sent word to me. We were not due for another hunt until the fifteenth.”
“Much obliged.” I stammer a shade then dig my claws into my palm to regain control. “Need to let off some steam, is all.”
She nods. “Then let us commence without delay.” She slips from her silks with liquid grace. They flow to the scrub grass with unearthly slowness, adding to the peculiar perfection of her form. Her body sweeps in muscular curves. Not a wasted ounce on her. Her bare fur shines in desert, burning like a striped sun.
I fumble out of my clothes. Nobody in the vicinity, nobody for miles, just the jagged buttes of the desert and the sway of brittle grass. My claw catches on a buttonhole— I snarl and shred the shirt to tatters. As the strips of ragged cloth fall away, so too does all the tommyrot cowshit we call polite society.
She gets down on all fours. Beside her, I dig my paws into the hot earth. I don’t get too close— a fine lady’s got to be respected, particularly since I’ve seen her claws at work.
I shiver in anticipation. The wind plays over my naked fur, carrying the first hint of our quarry. I dash off on all fours, and she follows with a growl. My pulse gallops.
The hunt begins.
Predators.
Prey.
Not a shred of propriety to get between the two.
Snapping and snarling, we sprint off together. Today it’s one of the man-sized lizards of the wastes. Doesn’t matter. It was just the nearest critter big enough to provide a mouthful. No words are needed. We just know.
We lope along for about a half mile, then come upon it. The scaly beast is near on six feet long. It sees us and lights up a shuck, but we soon catch the fat waddling thing. Mei Xiu dashes through the rocks to trap it.
The great lizard hisses, cornered against a stone face. We have it. We close in. Mei Xiu comes in from the flank, but gets snapped at. Powerful jaws crack together, spraying spit and perhaps venom at her.
Now!
I
I drop out of the saddle, jostling the Winchester repeater in the boot of it— sometimes prey is out of claw’s reach. Almost unloop my satchel from the pommel, but then leave it. Though I’m not in the habit of leaving cash lay out, Mei Xiu takes it as an insult if I don’t trust her manservant with my possibles.
Her manservant is a stern-faced Siamese. He’s supposed to be some manner of butler, but I’ve seen him practicing with those funny little daggers of his. He sits there in his tailed coat, derby, and striped trousers. I can feel those steel-blue eyes even when I turn away, as if he’s uncomprehending on the fact that I could rip him down the middle if I were inclined.
Mei Xiu snaps her fan closed.
I face her. She’s a few inches shorter than me, but I’ve seen what she can do with those wide paws, with that refined mouth. A shiver runs through me. Reckon it’s queer how the both of us came across continents just to find so fine a mirror. Were it not for a little fur, a few stripes, we could be of the same breed. Most folks are too thick to appreciate things like this. We appraise each other for a long while before she speaks.
“Mister Hayes.” Her English is clear and sharp as cut glass. To this day, I’m unsure if she’s a genuine Chinese or just of the stock. My inquiries find no purchase on her, and like any good predator she melts into the shadows regularly, vanishing until she wants to be found. Took me a month and more than a few bribes to even learn what she went by. Her real name’s Soon-Hooey-Zong or some such, but after I said it wrong for about the twentieth time she told me to just call her Mei Xiu. Not long after, we began these little rendezvous.
“Madam, you are looking radiant as ever.” I take her paw and bow, kissing it all formal-like. Something about her bearing commands such things. Her paw is at once soft and powerful, just like her scent, just like everything else about her.
“I must admit I was surprised when you sent word to me. We were not due for another hunt until the fifteenth.”
“Much obliged.” I stammer a shade then dig my claws into my palm to regain control. “Need to let off some steam, is all.”
She nods. “Then let us commence without delay.” She slips from her silks with liquid grace. They flow to the scrub grass with unearthly slowness, adding to the peculiar perfection of her form. Her body sweeps in muscular curves. Not a wasted ounce on her. Her bare fur shines in desert, burning like a striped sun.
I fumble out of my clothes. Nobody in the vicinity, nobody for miles, just the jagged buttes of the desert and the sway of brittle grass. My claw catches on a buttonhole— I snarl and shred the shirt to tatters. As the strips of ragged cloth fall away, so too does all the tommyrot cowshit we call polite society.
She gets down on all fours. Beside her, I dig my paws into the hot earth. I don’t get too close— a fine lady’s got to be respected, particularly since I’ve seen her claws at work.
I shiver in anticipation. The wind plays over my naked fur, carrying the first hint of our quarry. I dash off on all fours, and she follows with a growl. My pulse gallops.
The hunt begins.
Predators.
Prey.
Not a shred of propriety to get between the two.
Snapping and snarling, we sprint off together. Today it’s one of the man-sized lizards of the wastes. Doesn’t matter. It was just the nearest critter big enough to provide a mouthful. No words are needed. We just know.
We lope along for about a half mile, then come upon it. The scaly beast is near on six feet long. It sees us and lights up a shuck, but we soon catch the fat waddling thing. Mei Xiu dashes through the rocks to trap it.
The great lizard hisses, cornered against a stone face. We have it. We close in. Mei Xiu comes in from the flank, but gets snapped at. Powerful jaws crack together, spraying spit and perhaps venom at her.
Now!
I
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