YAGUARA:  A STORY OF 
JAGUARS

Executive Producer: John H. Burkitt
Co Producer:		David A. Morris

Producers/Editors:		Chris Boyce
				Ian Layton
				David Morris

Story Development:		Chris Boyce
				David Braun
				John Burkitt
				Marcis Buhholcs
				Joe McCauley
				David Morris

Imagineering:		John Burkitt (Original Concept)
				Jeff Dearman (Machoc)
				Dave Morris (The Cubs)

Graphic Blandishments:	Marcus Aanerud
				Jeroen van den Berg
				David Morris
				Myra Weber

Research:			John Burkitt
				Joe McCauley
				Rocio Orozco
				Mirco Zacher




FOREWORDS:

	I have always wanted to tell the story of the great cats of the 
Americas.  I started out with a few vague ideas, and with a lot of help 
from my friends and a little soul searching, I came up with a storyline 
that conveys something of the depth and breadth of my love for the 
Jaguar.
	The word Yaguara means, "The beast who kills with one 
spring."  Indeed, the characters in this work are as imposing as they are 
beautiful, but they are also vulnerable citizens of an uncertain world.  
Let us work to secure a place for this noble cat both in our hearts and 
on our earth.

						---  John Burkitt, 
Nashville, Tennessee


	It is at once exhilarating and terrifying to plunge into a new 
and unfamiliar area.  Fortunately I had the local university library to 
explore as well as the considerable knowledge of my co-authors.  But 
the background aspects are a minor thing.  What I learned most--as 
always--I learned from the characters I was writing for.
	There’s a point in writing when the character you create 
becomes much more than what you put into it.  It comes alive, with its 
own personality and beliefs.  That moment has always excited me, and 
it is one of the things I love most about writing.  These characters are 
not mine...they came to me and let me have a look at their lives.
	Read on, and you’ll see what I mean.

						---  David Morris, 
Wilmington, North Carolina


	It has been a pleasure to work with Dave and John again. Just 
hearing John's enthusiasm about the story really brings it to life. 
Although I feel my contribution for this story was small...I hope it 
contributes to your enjoyment of the story

						---  Ian 'Rama' Layton, 
LaVergne, Tennessee


	Any new project is exciting, some new projects are more 
exciting than others. At first I did not feel very involved with the infant 
Yaguara! but I knew that I had to be, one way or another. I know little 
about jaguars, indeed I know practically nothing about big cats at all; I 
could not provide much useful input to character development or plot. 
What I do like to think I know a little about is writing. If the truth is 
told I have to say that I have done very little writing for this project, 
however I have still managed to have some useful influence over the 
result and I hope that that result is better for that involvement. I know 
that I have benefited from this experience, I hope that Chakal and 
Ixtab and all their cubs have benefited from mine.

						---  Chris Boyce, 
Godshill, Isle of Wight, UK

================================

PROLOGUE


¡Ay, muchachos! ¡Cuidado, hombres!  Light the 
campfire, keep watch tonight!
Yaguara stirs in the evening darkness--he who kills 
with a single bite!
Spangled with stars, YA-GU-A-RA!  Gold as the Sun, 
YA-GU-A-RA! 
¡Viva el rey, YA-GU-A-RA!  Fearing no one, YA-GU-
A-RA!  Ay!

Beauty fit for a lovely woman, strength to rival the 
strongest man!
Yaguara walks like a graceful dancer, no one runs as 
Yaguara can!
Spangled with stars, YA-GU-A-RA!  Gold as the Sun, 
YA-GU-A-RA!
¡Viva el rey, YA-GU-A-RA!  Fearing no one, YA-GU-
A-RA!  Ay!

See the night is becoming morning; scarlet beauty has 
filled the skies
Magic comes as the sun arises!  Hope is born as the 
nighttime dies
Spangled with stars, YA-GU-A-RA!  Gold as the Sun, 
YA-GU-A-RA! 
¡Viva el rey, YA-GU-A-RA!  Fearing no one, YA-GU-
AR-A!  Ay!

	The ancient trees of the Central American rain forest rose like 
spires of a green cathedral.  Within their dim sanctuary, the rhythms of 
life and death flowed uninterrupted as they had for eons.  Yet this was 
not a place of peace and contemplation.  It was a place where supreme 
bliss and abject dispair dwelled side by side.  It was the most 
wonderful and terrible of places.
	On a day long before your father's father drew his breath, the 
forest lay pinned under an oppressive morning rain.  No birds sang, no 
monkeys chattered; all was silent but for the steady drip of rain from 
the canopy.  The forest seemed deserted, but it wasn't; the leaf strewn 
ground heaved and fluttered as a living carpet of ants scurried across.  
Shining eyes peeked from a hollow in a tree, and hanging upside 
down, wrapped in their own wings were roosting bats.  Life was 
everywhere, waiting out the storm.
	The rain was falling harder than usual that day.  Beneath the 
thick canopy enough water dripped to collect into streams, and then 
continuous runnels.  Though the insects hardly noticed the weather, 
the larger creatures dared not venture out.  The wet leaves were 
treacherous, and even the proud jaguar knew better than to brave the 
full fury of a downpour.
	Suddenly, through the steady shish of rain came a heavy 
crashing sound.  The warm fog rising from the jungle floor was riven 
by a terrified black jaguar.  He was not a hunter but the hunted.  Wide 
eyed, he threaded his path about the trees as quickly as his panicked 
legs could carry him.
	His flight was slowed by a wooden stake linked by a rough 
leather leash to the silver inlaid collar around his neck.  As he ran, the 
stake caught on every obstruction that evil fate strewed in his path and 
he was cruelly throttled each time.  He wheezed helplessly, his lungs 
hungered for more air than he could take in.  The jaguar's heavy 
paunch spoke of more rich food than exercise.  Exhaustion was setting 
in and his legs burned and ached.
	A group of two-legs with spears and bows were racing noisily 
toward him.  He didn't have to stop to hear them; the two-legs were 
awkward and could not travel silently.
	A spear whistled angrily past him and buried itself in the 
ground uncomfortably close, then another one brushed his flank.  Fear 
overcame fatigue, and with a whimper the jaguar strained to run faster.  
He was faint and half blind with terror, and his judgment was 
impaired.  In his mad haste, he darted between two trees and only 
made a couple of strides beyond them before the stake firmly lodged 
itself in the gap.  The leash cut off his air and pulled his legs from 
under him.  
	He looked back and spotted his pursuers.  Desperately he 
pulled against the rope, digging with his claws for a grip on the 
slippery, wet earth and thrashing his head in the wild hope that the 
collar might slip off.  Three men with spears broke through the scrub 
and closed on him.  Maybe if he pulled straight back the collar would 
slip off?  He faced his enemies, focused himself and gave one final 
surge of strength, lunging against the rope.  The collar did not budge 
and he fell in the mud his paws had stirred.  
	"Momma," he cried.  "Help me!  If you can hear me, please 
help me!"
	Another spear flew--the point struck the leash!  He pulled one 
more time, and the strap surrendered with a "pop" that sent the jaguar 
tumbling toward freedom.
	He got to his paws, and without looking back the cat dodged 
his way into the trees.  Freed of the tether and given renewed hope, he 
put on a burst of speed that quickly lost the hunters.  "Thank you, 
Momma!" he gasped.  "Thank you!"
	He ran on, plunging deeply into the jungle, leaving only 
pawprints that washed away in the pounding rain.


CHAPTER 1:  FIVE YEARS LATER

	Late one evening, the jaguar Chakal was talking with his 
neighbor Machoc as they patrolled the border between their territories.  
It was not so much a chat as an informal ceremony mixing friendly 
banter and bragging.  For Chakal it was the high point of his limited 
social life.
	Machoc, a rare jet black jaguar, said, "Did I ever tell you about 
the time I had to jump through a flaming ring for the two-legs prince?"
	"Dozens of times," Chakal said.
	"Well it's still true," Machoc growled.  "So what have YOU 
done interesting lately?"
	"I took a nap," Chakal said.
	Machoc tried to keep a somber face but a deep guffaw started 
in his belly and slowly worked its way to the surface.  "I'm breaking 
out into a sweat just hearing about it.  You ought to slow down and try 
to enjoy life."
	"All right then, what was YOUR greatest trick today?" Chakal 
asked, irritated; "Eating and burping at the same time?"
	Machoc's tail lashed.  "Are you saying I'm a has-been?"
	Chakal smiled slyly.  "More like a never-was.  You keep telling 
me about all these things you could do.  I say one trick is worth an 
hour of talking."
	Machoc's ears flattened back.  "OK!  If you need proof, you'll 
get it!  Prepare to be dazzled!"  
	Machoc concentrated for a moment.  He could prove he was 
once a captive of the two-legs for he carried a visible mark about his 
neck where a silver collar had once rested.  It would be harder to 
defend his other claims.  After all, he had been five years without 
practice and had grown five years older.  Half-closing his eyes and 
twitching his tail nervously, he mentally prepared himself for the 
performance.  Then he crouched down, sprang straight up.  His legs 
kicked out and his body twisted, and for one brief moment he turned 
in space, then he landed on his paws.  It was a spectacular back flip, 
and the jaguar smiled with pride and relief.  "There!  Do you believe 
me now?"
	Chakal was stunned, but he tried hard not to show it.  “That's 
nothing," he stammered.  "Anybody could do that.”
	"Even you?"
	Forcing the tremor from his voice, he said, "Sure I could!"
	Machoc yawned--a carefully thought out yawn that highlighted 
his ivory fangs and pink tongue against the ebony of his face.  "Sure 
you could," he said mockingly.  "Must I endure an hour of talking or 
do I get a trick?"
	"Don't rush me!  I can do it!" Chakal said with fire in his eyes, 
but a timid twitching of his tail.  "Watch--I'll show you!"
	“I wouldn’t try it if I were you.  You might get hurt.”
	“You're just afraid I really can do it.  You're just afraid that I 
can do it even better!”
	"I'm scared stiff," Machoc replied, licking his paw.  "Pardon 
me while I work up a good shudder."
	Chakal crouched low, concentrated on what he thought he saw 
Machoc do, then sprang straight up, tucking his back feet against his 
chin and thrusting out against the air.  It was a brave effort, but he 
flopped down on his rump with a loud yowl.
	"Are you all right?" Machoc said with a slight smile.
	“I'm FINE," Chakal brusquely growled.  "Let me try again.”
	Chakal stuck out his tongue, narrowed his eyes, then from a 
balled-up position sprang up on his hind legs and arched his back with 
a massive thrust.  He turned for one moment in the air, almost three 
quarters of the way around.  Then he came crashing to the ground on 
his upper back and head.  "Damn!"
	Machoc laughed raucously.  “I thought cats always landed on 
their paws!”
	Chakal glared at him.  "Watch your tongue--while it's still 
attached!"
	Machoc said.  "Hey, it seems YOU are the grouch today!  Did 
you get turned down by a jaguaress lately?"
	“Don’t be foolish,” Chakal said, grooming the leaves from his 
coat with what dignity he had left.  “I’m a loner, a model of self-
sufficiency.  I don’t need anyone.  Least of all another mouth to feed.”
	“Just checking.  Then you didn't see the jaguaress on your 
land?”
	“A trespasser??  Where??”
	“Well--”  He sat and scratched his head with his hind paw.  “I 
have this friend that told me she was out toward Windy Rock.”
	“I don’t believe you.”
	“And why not??”
	“You’re too irritating to have friends.”
	“Yeah, right.”  Machoc showed a little fang.  “While you’re 
insulting me she’s probably eating a nice fat deer all by her pretty little 
self!”


CHAPTER 2:  THE INTRUDER

	Chakal left Machoc and ran through the evening shadows 
along paths only his keen eyes saw.  He flew like an angry thunderbolt, 
outraged by the thoughts of a stranger feeding off an imaginary deer.  
Either she would leave peacefully, or she would get a good cuffing.
	Over creeks and through brambles he glided effortlessly, until 
he passed Windy Rock.  He scanned the trees about him, and finally 
spotted a slight flake of gold that moved against the wind.  There she 
was--Machoc was right!  He gathered his resolve, took in a deep 
breath, then charged her.

***

	A young, lithe jaguaress walked about with the cautious tread 
of someone outside their territory.  Suddenly a male loomed up out of 
the trees and stopped beside her, snarling.  She looked about in alarm.  
"Oh!"
	“Do you know that this is MY territory, Ma’am?”
	“Forgive me, sir--I didn't mean to anger you.”  
	She did not threaten, nor did she run.  Keeping her wits, she 
showed him proper respect, rolling on her back and pawing at him.
	His hackles went down and he said, "OK, you may stand."
	The jaguaress rose and shook the leaves off her pelt.  "I wish 
you would let me rest a while.  I'm so tired."
	"We'll see.  Where are you from?  The Western Plain?  The 
Tlakal valley?”
	“No.  I came from my mother.”  She looked a bit downcast.  
“I’ve come of age.  She told me it was my destiny to find a mate.”
	He eyed her intently, following the curves of her body and 
nodding slightly.  “You certainly are of age, and I’d say you shouldn’t 
have too much trouble.”
	“Oh?”  She half smiled.  “I think you just paid me a 
compliment.”
	“Well, sometimes I do that.”  He walked about her, getting the 
full view.  “You don’t exactly hurt my eyes.”
	“Neither do you,” she said.  “I bet your mate likes it when you 
talk that way.”
	“Hmmph, an obvious ploy,” Chakal said.  “I don't like that kind 
of cubbish flirting.”
	She looked at him reproachfully.  “Well what DO you like?”
	“I like peace and quiet.”
	“Oh,” she said, a little disappointed.  She went up to him and 
stood before his face, and when her nose was about to touch his, she 
stepped lightly to the side and rubbed him sensuously, full length, and 
batted his face with her tail.  "You seem to know your whole path is 
set out for you.  I don't even know where I'll be an hour from now, 
much less next moon."
	"Well, I…"
	She came about to face him again and nuzzled his cheek 
making him chuckle.  "Maybe you're just lucky.  Let love in your life 
and before you know it, you're no longer your own master."
	"You said it."
	"The cubs are playing around you, looking up at you with their 
large hazel eyes and wanting you to tell them a story.  You have to 
stop and fondle their soft bodies with your paw and think up 
something to say.  And when you finally settle them down, and you're 
ready for that nap, along comes your mate wanting to talk--wanting to 
nuzzle your face…" She lowered her voice softer than a mother's 
lullaby.  "…wanting to caress your cheek softly…warmly… 
passionately."  She bussed his cheek softly with her pink tongue.  
"Before long, you've lost your desire to sleep…"
	He sighed and half-closed his eyes.  "It sounds good to me."
	"Still," she said, sharply nudging his cheek with a paw, "you 
are absolutely right.  I should drop these foolish romantic notions and 
learn self-reliance."
	"You should?"
	"If you're going to be completely logical about it, having a 
family is a bother."
	"But…but…Ma'am, I…"
	She turned and looked him penetratingly in the eyes.  "Yes?"
	"Well…I mean…if you found someone you liked…"
	"Like you?"  She purred and stroked him with a paw.  "I might 
take a chance on love if you asked me."
	He purred and trembled.  “Really?"  His pink tongue tip 
moistened his dry lips and he said, "By the way, my name is Chakal.”
	“I’m Ixtab.”
	“Ixtab,” he repeated slowly.  “Let me show you a trick.”  He 
stood gingerly with his forepaws between his hindpaws, closed his 
eyes and concentrated with all his might.  He paused a moment, then 
sprang.  Arching his back sharply and swinging his back legs, he 
managed to sail through a full back flip and land on his feet.
	Ixtab was greatly impressed, though she was already more than 
interested in him.  “Oooh!  Do it again!"
	Chakal smiled.  “Maybe later.  You know any good tricks?”
	“Well, I know one my mother taught me.”  She nuzzled his 
face softly, then touched his cheek with her tongue.  Then she rubbed 
him full length again, curving her tail seductively under his chin.  “I 
really hope you'll like it."
	Chakal trembled.  “Ixtab, I want to see this trick.”
	She took a playful swat at him.  He blocked it with his paw, but 
she quickly adjusted, putting her arms about him and trying to bear his 
body to the grass.  She mouthed his neck gently, pawing at him, 
looking for a good hold.  
	Ixtab had surprised him, and for a moment she had the 
advantage.  She nearly flipped him on his back, but then he leaned the 
full weight of his strong and musky body against her soft fur.  Down 
she went.  
	“Gotcha!” he cried.
	She rested unresisting beneath his paws, panting alluringly.  
“You win.”
	“You let me win.”
	She ran her paw slowly down his chest and felt the hammering 
of his heart.  A smile lit her lovely face and she said, “I let you win the 
round, but I will win the match.”
	He leaned down and touched her face with his warm tongue.  
"You just did."




CHAPTER 3:  CHAKAL'S WORLD

	Panting and trembling, Chakal stroked Ixtab's finely formed 
face and gazed into her deep hazel eyes.  "Let me love you.  Let me 
cast my shadow over your lovely body and feel its soft  warmth against 
me.  I want you, Ixtab, more than I want food or air."
	"Oh!  Uh…well…"  Ixtab's ears laid back and she shuddered.  
"Don't you think…uh… first if this is going to be my home, I should 
know my boundaries?"
	"I suppose so…if that's what you want to do."  He could sense 
her nervousness and restrained himself, taking a deep breath and 
letting it out slowly.  "My land--I mean our land--stretches from the 
riverbank to the stone pillars.  We will walk the border together.  
Beyond that border is our neighbor Machoc.  Mister Personality."
	"You're much nicer than Machoc.  When I saw him, I told him 
'Good evening,' and he asked, 'What's good about it??  He ordered me 
off his lands!'"  Her tail twitched with embarrassment.  "He doesn't 
have a mate.  He just dislikes me!"
	"His loss," Chakal said.  He thought of how close he came to 
ordering Ixtab off his land.
	"You're kind to take me in, but I must not be very attractive.  
Mother always used to call me her pretty little flower.  You know how 
mothers are.  For a while I believed her."
	"But she was right--you ARE pretty!" Chakal said, scandalized.  
"No, not pretty; you're absolutely beautiful.  Don't mind what old 
Machoc says.  He's just grouchy--that's his way."
	"Do you really think so?  I mean, you're not just saying that?"
	"No."
	She looked worried.  "No what?"
	"No, I'm not just saying that."  He looked at her intently.  "You 
really thought you were unattractive?  I thought that line was one of 
your mother's little traps…."
	"No.  Mother said if you think pretty, you'll be pretty, and I was 
trying so hard to think pretty.  I'm getting it all wrong and ruining my 
chance!"
	"Ixtab," Chakal said with a slight shake of his head, "forget 
your mother for just a moment and look me in the eyes.  Behind all 
these tricks, do you know what I see?  I see a beautiful but frightened 
creature away from home for the first time.  It's all right to be scared, 
and it's all right to show it."  He pawed her softly.  "I frighten you, 
don't I?"
	"Yes…I mean no…."
	Chakal smiled warmly.  "Is it yes or no, Ixtab?"
	"Yes."  She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.  "I want 
to be happy with you.  I'm just so afraid I'm going to do the wrong 
thing."
	"If you ever leave me, that would be the wrong thing.  I want 
you to fill the empty place in my life."
	Ixtab asked, "Are you really sure?"
	"I was never more sure."  Chakal purred.  "You know a little 
secret?  I'm afraid of doing the wrong thing too.  I'll overlook your 
mistakes if you'll ignore mine.  Only you must never leave me.  
Promise me that we will grow old together."
	Ixtab looked directly into his eyes.  A gentle smile came to her 
face.  "You know something?  My mother said…."
	"Not your mother again!"
	Ixtab smiled embarrassed.  "She said that if I had a good heart 
and walked a straight path, I'd find a fine mate like my father.  She 
was right.  I want to love you, Chakal.  I want you to love me.  I want 
us to grow old together!  I promise!"
	Chakal purred and rubbed her full length.  "Ixtab!  What a 
musical name!  I love the way you smell.  I love the way you look and 
the way you talk and the way the spots on your hips dance when you 
walk.  Everything about you is wonderful!"
	"Then let us mate among the reeds," she said quickly.  "Come, 
darling, while my courage holds out."
	"My timid little treasure," Chakal said, nuzzling and rubbing 
her full length again.  He could feel her tense body tremble.  "First we 
will walk the boundary together."
	Ixtab sighed.  "Yes, please.  Let us walk the boundary."
	Chakal broke into a gallop that looked restful but covered the 
distance quickly.  Ixtab followed closely on his heels, looking about 
excitedly.  The two jaguars sailed easily through a sea of vegetation; 
the shade restricted brush and weeds to the open grasslands.  Their 
path was a soft bed of leaves that padded pleasantly underfoot.
	They headed first for the river.  There by a bend in the sleepy 
flow they found a large ironwood tree.  To the eye alone it was 
ordinary, but the mark it bore told any hopeful and arrogant neighbors 
this was Chakal's land.  Once the scent was a warning to Ixtab--now it 
was a welcome sign of home.
	"Pardon me for a moment," Chakal said, unexpectedly shy at 
performing his duty in the presence of a female.  Ixtab briefly looked 
away and Chakal lifted his tail, refreshing the mark with a tiny 
controlled amount of his scent.  Then he turned about and raised up as 
high as he could on his back legs and dug his claws into the tree bark.  
When he was satisfied that all was properly taken care of, he came 
back and nuzzled Ixtab.  "Let's go."
	They headed straight into the forest.  They were bound on the 
most important journey they would make together, showing Ixtab 
where safety ended and danger began.  Chakal trekked through a series 
of large or oddly shaped trees, each time briefly refreshing his scent 
and his claim on the land.  His land was large and very valuable, 
spread across the bottom of a river valley.  It had access to water and 
no steep slopes to climb.  A couple of small meadows were gathering 
places for herds of deer at dusk and dawn, making a promise of meals 
to come.
	Monkeys chattered in a tree, but they were not greatly 
concerned.  A breathtaking bouquet of red and blue feathered macaws 
burst from a tamarind and flew screeching away.  A small herd of deer 
fled before the approaching jaguars, but they were not too frightened--
Chakal was clearly after a different prey.
	"This is wonderful!" Ixtab said.
	"There's more," Chakal said, beaming with pride.  "Wait till 
you see the rocks!"
	"Rocks?  What rocks?"
	"You'll see."
	Finally Chakal came to two imposing stone monoliths.  Along 
the base of each were a series of symbols carved and read by the race 
jaguars called "two-legs."  Chakal went to one and without hesitation 
began to twitch his whiskers, scenting the territorial marks.
	Ixtab was clearly uncomfortable.  "I hope there are no two-legs 
on your land.  They frighten me."
	"No.  They live across the river from here, and if we leave 
them alone, they will leave us alone."
	She shuddered when she saw the likenesses of the two-legs 
engraved in the stone.  Rumors about the furless monkeys who kill 
with sticks bred more fear than admiration among the decent 
creatures.  Even the howler monkeys and capuchins held them in 
contempt and fear.  
	Anxious to make a good impression on Chakal, Ixtab went to 
the large stone monoliths.  She rubbed them with her paw to feel the 
deep cut images and examined them closely.  In addition to the two-
legs graven marks, each of the pillars bore the scent marks of a jaguar.  
There were two distinct scents--one was Chakal's, but the other held 
dread memories for Ixtab.
	"That's HIS scent!  The jaguar who threatened me!"  She 
stiffened.  "We need to get away from here."
	"You're not in any danger--not on this side of the line.  He's just 
an old grouch that…."
	"He threatened me!"  She looked Chakal squarely in the eyes.  
"Are you going to protect me or not?"
	"Sure I am!  I'm only saying that Machoc is not as vile as he'd 
have you believe.  He likes to make an impression."
	"Well he impressed me with a threat," Ixtab said curtly.  "He 
said next time I stepped on his lands he'd give me a beating I'd never 
forget!"
	Chakal's ears twitched.  "He'd better not even THINK about it."  
He sniffed of the pillar on his side of the line.  "He's never trespassed 
once.  If you stay inside the boundaries, he won't touch you."
	"Make sure you do a good job marking it," she said.
	"Oh, I will."  He started to turn about and raise his tail.  Then 
he saw her looking at him.  "Please turn around."
	She came to him and nuzzled him.  "Make our home safe--it's 
nothing to be ashamed of."
	"It's not that I'm ashamed to mark my…."  He looked at her a 
bit shyly.  "It's something I've never done with a lady watching."
	"Before the sun rises there are many things you will do for the 
first time."  Ixtab walked about him slowly, looking at his powerful 
form and sun-gold fur spangled with a galaxy of dark stars and rings.  
"I think you have a beautiful body.  Nothing it does could be 
shameful."  She ended up at his face once more and kissed him lightly.
	He looked into her beautiful hazel eyes, her finely chiseled 
face and the sensual curve of her ebony lips.  Then he started about 
her, following her proud, strong neck to the shoulders.  His eyes 
fondled the playful sweep of her ribs and ended up watching the strong 
but graceful turn of her hips.  Her tail swept lightly and alluringly 
across his cheek making him gasp.  "Ixtab, you're the most beautiful 
thing I've ever seen."
	She smiled.  "I'm fast too."
	"Well I'm faster."
	Panting with soft jaguar laughter, Ixtab touched his face with 
her warm, pink tongue, then she launched herself into a graceful 
canter.  "Hey!" Chakal said, taking up pursuit.  For a while the two 
lovers dodged trees in a drunken game of tag.  He chased her lithe and 
supple body, his heart pounding.  Silver drops of newborn moonlight 
penetrated the trees and fondled her lovely curves.  The music of her 
laughter intoxicated him.  He watched her powerful haunches bunch 
and spring sensuously, propelling her in graceful flight like an evening 
eagle and he was lost for a moment in a waking dream of desire.


CHAPTER 4:  THE TEMPLE

	Suddenly the forest canopy parted and before them loomed a 
huge limestone hill that shone pale in the moonlight.  Ixtab halted.
	The hill was covered with regular stairsteps.  It was too 
structured to be a natural thing.  As Chakal approached it, Ixtab drew 
in a gasp and said, "It's a two-legs thing!  What are you doing??"
	"They haven't been here in years.  Not in my father's time or his 
father's.  Come on!"
	He ran right to the base of the structure and came before a huge 
ornamental snake, mouth permanently agape.  "It's my favorite place 
to rest.  Don't worry--this old snake won't hurt you!"
	"I know it's not real.  I'm not that foolish."  She laughed 
nervously.  "This is all really nice, but are you sure we should be 
here?"
	"Of course.  This is my home."  He nuzzled her reassuringly.  
"If you like this, you'll love what's next."  He stepped around and 
headed smoothly up the many stairs toward the small enclosed room at 
the top of the pyramid.  He waited patiently until she joined him and 
they entered the small doorway.
	"This is where I like to sleep when it rains."
	Ixtab walked about and looked at the smooth walls, the square 
windows, and the ample doorway.  "Oh Chakal!  This is beautiful!  
This is the perfect place to raise cubs!  We could let them play over 
here and outside it’s not too hard to get to the ground, but the snakes 
and rain won’t come inside."
	“Our cubs,” he said with a happy sigh.  "That Machoc--it's all 
his doing.  I could kiss him if he weren't so darned cranky."  He looked 
at her.  "I'd much rather kiss you."
	She looked at him intently.  "Then do it.  I'm your mate--do 
anything you like."
	Her knew her words were brave but saw her eyes were 
frightened.  "Only when you're ready," he purred.  "Only when you 
want me close to you."  He touched her cheek with his soft pink 
tongue and stroked her gently with his paw.  "I wonder how much of 
your mother's advice she actually lived by.  Was she really a little 
brush fire?"
	"I don't know.  I never actually saw her--well--you know."
	"Mating?"  Chakal smiled with amusement.  "I'm rather glad 
she did.  Come with me--I want to show you something."  He stepped 
back outside the door and sat looking out over the forest.  Ixtab came 
and sat next to him.  From their high perch they could see the deep 
purple remnants of a sunset yielding to the silver light of stars.  Among 
the trees were another set of stars that flashed gold among the 
branches.
	"Look at the fireflies," Ixtab said with a sigh.  "Aren't they 
beautiful!  Why do they make this light?"
	"They are looking for love."
	"It seems everyone's looking for love tonight."
	Chakal smiled.  "They live to glow for one night of romance, 
then fall to the earth to die.  Don't be afraid--we have our lives ahead 
of us, and I won't spoil it by rushing you.  I want our first time to be 
special."
	Ixtab leaned on him, snuggling into his musky warmth.  He 
purred, the hum of his chest spreading warmth throughout her body.
	Ixtab sighed.  "There is a little cub inside my heart.  You make 
her feel safe and happy.  She loves you.  I love you."
	Chakal purred again.  "The last time I felt love was on the night 
my parents blessed me and sent me forth.  I was afraid that no one 
would ever love me again.  Ixtab, is this just the fire inside us that 
brought us together, or is it something real that comes from the heart?"
	"I think it's real," she said.
	"So do I."
	Her eyes shone like stars in the moonlight.  She nuzzled Chakal 
and kissed him on the cheek.  "Darling, I'm ready."
	"For what?"
	"To show you that trick."
	"Are you sure?"
	She smiled.  "Yes, Chakal.  I'm sure."


CHAPTER 5:  MACHOC’S ATTITUDE

	The three days of Ixtab's receptive time passed all too swiftly, 
but they worked lasting changes.  Chakal did not feel the day had 
begun unless she was there to rouse him with a gentle paw and touch 
of the tongue.  Her touch, now confident as well as sensual, could 
soothe his worst distress and make him smile.  Yet most dramatically, 
within just a moon he could see the subtle change in her profile that 
foretold new life.  Chakal was once a loner; suddenly he had a mate 
and expected a family. 
	Chakal grew very protective of Ixtab, though she was a 
powerful cat in her own right.  He was doubly careful to mark his the 
boundary of his territory well and he began accompanying Ixtab in the 
hunt.
	Ixtab had expressed her displeasure with that arrangement, 
saying she preferred to forage in the morning coolness, but Chakal 
would hear none of it.  He suspected that she sneaked away for some 
unsupervised activity from time to time, but he could never prove it.  
Her tread was as quiet as it was graceful.
	One morning a fly landed on a sensitive part of Chakal's nose, 
stepping inside one of his nostrils.
	"AhhhCHOO!"  He looked about and sat bolt upright.  "Ixtab, 
what happened?  Something touched me on the…."
	Ixtab was gone.
	"Oh gods, I knew she was sneaking out to hunt--I just knew it!"  
He felt of her place beside him and it had already grown cold.  Ixtab 
had not wakened him--she had already been away several minutes.  
"We will discuss this," he grumbled.  Worried and not a little annoyed, 
Chakal stretched, yawned, and headed out of the temple to look for his 
mate.

***

	Ixtab was thinking about the new life inside her.  Her lithe 
figure had become less graceful, but she bore it with joy; her husband's 
love had taken on tangible form.  She stopped to look at her face in the 
reflecting pool.  Did her eyes really shine with love the way Chakal 
said they did?  Maybe not, but there was a contentment that sparkled 
back in the reflection.  Ixtab was happy--unbelievably happy--and she 
headed off to hunt for something to share with her beloved.  Perhaps a 
tapir would be wading in the seasonal stream, but most likely there 
would be deer in the western meadow.
	Unknowingly, she strayed past the two pillars that marked the 
boundary of her territory.  Every step she took from there brought her 
farther from home and deeper into danger.
	Ixtab was worried about her mate.  What if she DID kill a 
deer?  Would he be glad for her, knowing that she had strayed alone?  
Perhaps not at first, but would he be upset for long if he woke to 
breakfast with his lover?  She hoped not and pressed onward.
	Ixtab saw the brush move.  It was not the timid stalk of a deer 
but the confident tread of a jaguar.  "Chakal, dearest?  Don't be cross--I 
didn't mean to…."
	A jet-black jaguar confronted Ixtab.  "You again??"
	"Excuse me--my mistake.  Good morning, Machoc."  
	"Not for you it isn't.  I remember you.  I warned you once."
	"Look, I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to intrude.  I'll go back now."
	"Sorry does not cut it--this is the second time you've intruded 
on me!  You have all that good land while I'm stuck with this crappy 
little strip, and you're over here hunting what little game I have??  I 
think you've earned a good cuffing!"
	She raised her hackles and thrashed her tail.  Still, though she 
growled and bared her teeth, she lowered her ears in fear.  Indeed, 
Machoc was a splendid cat, and though he was much older, he was 
clearly larger and likely stronger.
	"You will learn to respect my boundaries," Machoc said.
	"Leave me alone!" Ixtab quailed.  "A fight wouldn't do either of 
us much good!"
	"Especially not you!  You couldn't win, you know," he said 
with a disarming laugh.  He turned around, exposing his flank, then let 
his ears and tail drop limply.  Ixtab relaxed a little bit.
	Machoc whipped out and cuffed her solidly in the face.  Before 
the stunned jaguaress could turn to flee, he burst on her like a 
thunderstorm, battering her face and shoulders with his great paws.  
	Ixtab struggled to keep him at bay, "Stop it!" she cried, trying 
to fend off some of the pummeling.  "Machoc, please!"
	"The more you struggle, the worse it will be!"
	Ixtab managed to land a swipe on Machoc's shoulder, causing a 
slight cut.  The lucky blow seemed to put a new anger into his attack.  
Cursing, he laid into her with all his might.  Blow after blow rained 
down on her as she tried to regain her footing and flee.
	Ixtab remembered how often Chakal had warned her not to 
hunt alone!  As she fought her losing battle, she worried how she 
would explain her cuts and swellings to him!  "Leave me alone!" she 
cried.  "I just want to go!"
	"I bet you do!" he said, cuffing her so hard across the face that 
she staggered back.  "You didn't think I meant what I said, but now 
you'll know better!  When I say keep out, I MEAN IT."
	She cowered down unresisting and began to whimper.  The 
gesture seemed to appease Machoc's anger somewhat.  He stopped, 
and panting looked down at her huddled form.  "If you EVER tread on 
my land again, there won't be enough of you left to bait a beetle!  
Understand??"
	"Yes," she said, sobbing.
	"Yes WHAT??"
	"Yes sir!"
	"Yes sir WHAT??"
	In a tear choked voice she stammered, "Yes sir, I won't come 
on your land again and I'm very sorry!  Let me go--please!"
	"Well then, you may leave."
	Suddenly Chakal appeared from the brush.  With a roar of rage, 
he sprang upon Machoc.  Chakal was young and strong, and his body 
was strengthened by the force of his terrible anger.  He furiously 
lashed out at Machoc with unbridled fury, his claws out and his teeth 
bared.
	The elderly black jaguar gasped and tried to fend off the blows 
as best he could.  He knew he was looking at death in the eyes and he 
was terrified.  Now it was Machoc who fought to gain his footing and 
run.
	In surprisingly little time, Chakal had downed him with a 
heavy blow to the shoulder, then pinned him to the ground with a paw.
	"Enough!  Enough!" Machoc cried.  "Don't hurt me!  Please!"
	"Please WHAT??" Chakal roared with a cuff to Machoc's face.
	"Please SIR!" the old jaguar said, one eye swelling shut and 
blood streaming from his nose.  "I'm your friend, Chakal!  I didn't 
mean to make you angry."  Desperately he looked into the red eyes of 
his conqueror.  "Maybe I can hunt you a nice deer.  Would you like 
that?  Or maybe I could teach you a new trick?"
	"Don't hurt him," Ixtab said.  "He's old and scared.  You don't 
have to prove anything for my sake."
	"He hurt you, Ixtab."
	"I know, but my wounds will heal.  He's lost his pride.  Let him 
go, darling.  Let him go."
	Machoc began to stroke the strong arm that pinned him with a 
trembling paw.  "Please don't kill me, Chakal!  Please!  I don't want to 
die!  Please don't kill me!"
	Stepping back at last, Chakal looked down at Machoc, panting 
heavily.  "I don't want to kill you--this time."  He bared his fangs and 
narrowed his eyes.  "Look old fool--she's carrying my cubs.  Touch her 
again and by the gods I WILL kill you!"
	He looked at Chakal.  "She's carrying your cubs?  I didn't 
know!"  Machoc glanced over gratefully at Ixtab.  "I should have 
courted you when I had the chance, girl.  I didn't know what I was 
missing."


CHAPTER 6:  THE CUBS

	Two moons later, Ixtab's pregnancy had come to term.  Chakal 
was beside himself with worry.  "Is it time??" he asked for probably 
the twentieth time.
	"Not yet.  Soon."
	"Soon??  How soon??"
	"What do you expect me to say?"
	"Give me a time.  Is it days?  Hours?"
	"Well, it might be minutes….AAAAUGH….seconds!!"
	"Oh my gods!  What will we do??"
	"WE will go into labor and give birth," Ixtab answered.  "I 
must get to shelter quickly."
	Panting with the exertion, Ixtab gritted her teeth as she 
stumbled to the base of the pyramid and headed up the steep staircase 
to the room where she wanted her cubs to see the light.
	Chakal frowned.  "Curse this long climb!  Are you all right, 
darling?"
	"I've been better," Ixtab said through clenched jaws.  She 
reached the top, then went into the temple and collapsed gasping for 
air.  Chakal started in, but she said, "Go guard the entrance!"
	"Will you be all right?  Can't I help you??"
	"You want to have the cubs instead??"
	"I just wish I could help somehow."
	"Why weren't you so helpful three moons ago!  You did this to 
me!"  Her tone softened.  "I'm sorry.  Just go guard the entrance!  
Please??"
	Her water broke.  Blood and humors began to flow, and Chakal 
stood stunned.  "Oh my gods, you've sprung a leak!"
	"Chakal…"
	"I know--the entrance.  I'm going."
	The jaguar looked about, seeing nothing unusual.  Their den 
was practically unassailable, perched on top of an immense mountain 
of limestone blocks.  Chakal was very excited and very nervous--he 
disliked feeling so useless in Ixtab's hour of need.  Only Ixtab had any  
power over the situation, and she sounded dreadfully weary, panting 
and moaning at the contractions that wracked her body.
	The next few minutes seemed like hours, but the devoted 
Chakal stayed firmly at his post.  Every time the monkeys shifted the 
tree boughs, he could sense a boa.  Every time the brush moved, he 
could see a fox.  Every time Ixtab gasped or cried out, he winced.  But 
then there was a new disturbance, a joyful sound of alluring high 
squeals.  
	"Ixtab!  Darling!  Are those my cubs??"
	"Yes, Chakal!  Three cubs--no--unggh--I have this strange 
feeling…."
	"Strange feeling??"
	"Yes, that I'm still being twisted in half!"
	He ran inside the room.  Lying in an exhausted sprawl was his 
mate, her facial fur matted and blood staining her hind limbs.  "Ixtab, 
darling!  What can I do?"
	"Don't 'Ixtab darling' me!"  She closed her eyes tightly and 
bared her teeth.  "AAAUUGH!!  You had your fun and put me through 
this torture!  Why did I ever let you touch me!"
	"Ixtab, I'm sorry!  I didn't know it was like this!  Really I 
didn't!"
	"Go!  Just leave me alone!"
	Chakal nodded, and with a last worried glance, he said, "I love 
you, Ixtab."  He started out, but only got halfway to the door.
	"Oh Chakal!  I'm sorry!  Don't leave me!"
	He ran back in to her.  Ixtab was already grooming her three 
cubs, but clearly there was a strained look on her face.  Suddenly she 
grimaced again.  "Here comes another one!"  She set her teeth, taking 
in a deep breath, letting it halfway out and holding the rest.  She 
strained again.  "I can do this!  I HAVE TO!"  One last good push 
brought the fourth cub into the open air.  The tiny male was jet black, 
and with his eyes closed only the pink of his nose showed out.  She 
yowled with relief.  "Oh thank you gods!  Oh, I can breathe again!"  
Her head lay on the floor and her eyes closed.  "It was awful, but it's 
over.  It's all over now!"
	"Oh my gods!  Four cubs??"
	"I know!"  She raised up, breathed in deeply and let the air out 
in a protracted sigh.  Then she cleaned off the fourth cub, stimulating 
his skin and nudging him toward her waiting belly.
	Chakal crowded close.  "Oh Ixtab, look at those perfect little 
bodies.  Little pink noses and tiny little toes!"  He quietly said, "Look 
at daddy!  Aren't you some precious little things!  Yes you are!"
	The tiny black male turned to face Chakal, but his eyes were 
half closed.
	"Ixtab!  He's looking at me!"
	"I don't think he sees you well, but he feels your breath."
	"It doesn't matter, Darling.  He will know he's loved."
	"They all will," she answered with a tired sigh.
	"How do you feel, Ixtab??"
	"Exhausted but OK.  Don't worry; I don't sense a number five."  
She looked at Chakal and smiled proudly.  “There they are, my love.  
Once I was someone's daughter; now I'm someone's mother."
	"And I'm someone's father."
	"You were good.”  
	"I had help."  Chakal nuzzled her tired, moist face.
	"Honey, I didn't mean to snap at you before," Ixtab said, 
purring.
	"That's all right, darling."  He nuzzled her and purred back with 
deep contentment.  "Now whom do we have here?"
	"Here are our two sons Bol and Holcan.  These are our 
daughters Koh and…."  She paused a moment.  "Sorry, son!  This is 
our daughter Koh and our third son Kayam."
	"Koh, huh?  So we have a little Ixtab!"  He looked at his mate 
and back at his daughter.  "You looked like that once?"
	"And you looked like him once."
	"Yes, I looked like Holcan!  He's a feisty little thing!"
	"That's Bol.  The black one's Holcan."
	Chakal smiled.  "I always heard that a black cub means good 
luck!"  He thought a moment, then his smile dropped.  "Machoc is 
black and he hasn't been very lucky."
	"Our Holcan will be lucky.  Just look who his father is."
	Chakal nuzzled her.  "I know I feel lucky.  I must be the 
luckiest creature alive.”


CHAPTER 7:  GROWING PAINS

	At first the cubs started out as helpless balls of fluff that nursed 
and slept and rarely moved about.  Chakal listened to them carefully 
but he only heard them say "ing," "mmh," or "uouw," none of which he 
understood in the least.  He got little more out of Ixtab, who spent 
most of her time with him grooming cubs, nursing cubs, and nuzzling 
cubs.
	Once Chakal came running in excitedly.  "You'll never guess 
what I saw!"
	"Shhh," Ixtab said.  "The cubs are nursing."
	"I saw something almost unheard of.  There was this monkey 
swinging from branch to branch, when suddenly it lost its grip and fell 
out of the tree.  Oh it grabbed at branches on the way down, but it 
struck the ground and died.  Have you ever heard of such a thing?"
	Ixtab was grooming her daughter Koh.  "That's Momma's 
precious little girl!"
	"Well?" Chakal said.
	"Huh?"
	"What about the monkey?"
	"What monkey?"
	Chakal sighed in resignation.  He rolled on his back and cried, 
"Ing!  Mmh!  Uouw!"
	Ixtab looked up.  "What are you doing??"
	"I'm trying to appeal to your motherly side."
	"It's much easier to appeal to my hungry side.  Do you mind, 
darling?"
	"I suppose I could try the eastern meadow.  Something should 
be out and about."
	During those early days, Chakal spent a great deal of time 
hunting for Ixtab.  He would quietly bring her meat, heading home by 
a different route each time to make sure he was not followed.  While 
Ixtab ate, he would talk softly to the cubs, but mostly they would just 
ignore him.  It was a frustrating time that taxed his patience.

***

	Just as Chakal was ready to give up on ever playing games with 
his cubs, they began to notice him; they would look about and make 
short excursions around the den.  Before long they never STOPPED 
moving except for naps.  Three spotted bundles of lightning and one 
inky thundercloud pulled their mother's ears and tugged their father's 
tail, making their parents' lives harried but full of love.
	Chakal had no more problems telling them apart.  Kayam was 
the largest--he would try anything once, and usually did.  He was the 
first one to crawl across the cold stone floor and the first one to squeal 
out a recognizable "Momma!"  He was the first one to get into trouble, 
and the first one to get a good cuffing.
	Keeping him and the others in check, Koh--the only daughter--
was "Mother's little helper."  Koh was always prepared to tell Momma 
when someone stepped out of line, and with that bunch, she had a full 
time job.  
	Holcan was the easiest to spot, for he was as dark as a shadow.  
Holcan acted the most like his dad, picking up on his father's habits 
and strutting about like a miniature version of Chakal.  
	Bol always stood closest to Holcan; they formed a great team 
and by working together they could keep Koh at bay, getting away 
with things Kayam could only dream about.  
	By necessity, the cubs spent their first days in the safety of 
their birth chamber.  The outside world was a tantalizing paradise that 
they could see just beyond the door to the chamber.  While Ixtab did 
not let them explore beyond the threshold of their nursery, she would 
tell them stories about the wonders that awaited them someday.  They 
didn't understand half of what she said--the things she tried to explain 
to them were foreign, but they whetted their young curiosities to a fine 
edge.  
	Their energy--and their patience--quickly outgrew the small 
chamber.  All too soon, telling stories was not enough.
	One day, Ixtab gave them the lecture she had once received 
from her own mother.  "When we go out there…."
	"All right!" Kayam yelled.  The cubs crowded toward the exit.
	Ixtab came about and blocked them.  "Wait!  Listen!  You will 
stay in line.  You will not run off by yourselves.  Remember that a 
jaguar travels silently, keeping his ears and eyes open to everything 
around him.  Misbehave and you'll come marching right back here, 
understand??"
	They nodded.  Clearly, Mom meant business.
	Ixtab gently carried them one by one outside of the room, down 
the stairs, placing them on the soft ground where Chakal waited 
proudly.  It was a journey as mysterious and wonderful to them as a 
flight to the stars.  When all the cubs were down to the earth with its 
sights and smells and soft give under their tiny feet, Ixtab and Chakal 
led them on a trek of discovery.  They headed out behind their mother 
in a line, with Chakal, ever watchful, bringing up the rear.  
	A brilliant blue butterfly tempted Kayam to stray for a 
moment, and a clump of fire-red flowers was too good for even Koh to 
pass, but a quick word from Daddy quickly put them back in line.
	To the four cubs, the world was a safe and friendly place.  
Never had they known discomfort or fear except for Ixtab's occasional 
cuffings.  The mysteries of the jungle that did not frighten them as 
cubs completely unnerved Chakal and Ixtab.  To the new parents every 
vine was a boa constrictor and every falling fruit was a swooping 
eagle.
	From time to time Ixtab would look back at them and caution 
them when their excited chatter got too loud.  "Silently!  A jaguar 
travels silently."  Still, it was their first time out and she tried to be 
lenient, smiling inwardly at the innocent wonder they felt for the 
miracles abounding in ordinary things.  Perhaps that excitement was 
infectious, for Ixtab looked about her and felt surrounded by beauty.
	"Four cubs!" said a small feline voice from the trees.  The 
ocelot looked down appraisingly.  "What a fine group of youngsters, 
Lady Ixtab!"
	"Thank you," Ixtab replied, staring at her small admirer with 
ears laid back and hackles slightly raised.  Ixtab knew that one of her 
cubs would make quite a meal for the wily cat.
	"Where are you going with them?"
	"As if I would…."
	Chakal cut short Ixtab's curt reply.  "We are headed to the 
river.  And where are your small ones, Madam?"
	"Resting," the Ocelotess said quickly, then she began to groom 
her face nervously.  "Maybe I should go check on them."
	"Nice seeing you again," Chakal said with a bit of a nod.  "You 
tend your young ones and we'll take ours to the river."
	It was not as long a trek as it seemed.  They entourage ended 
up at the sparkling path of the river, a boundary that separated their 
world from the world of the two-legs.  Beyond the river stretched a 
strange and open landscape of cultivated fields and freshly-painted 
buildings.  Tiny, erect figures wandered among the buildings; the two-
legs themselves.
	"Wow!" Bol said softly.  "Isn't that neat!"
	"It's unnatural," Ixtab said.  "There are so few trees.  No place 
to hunt, and no place to hide.  Just open sky, hot sun, and wind.  I don't 
like it."
	"I don't know about that," Chakal said.  "It's fun to look at--
from a safe distance.  It wasn't very fun for Machoc."

***

	The first trips of the cubs into the outdoors were all very 
sheltered adventures.  It wasn't for many more days that they were 
actually allowed to investigate the cool, wet wonders of the river.  
Then they were under their parents' close supervision.  
	The cubs were growing fast, and with their growth came new 
abilities.  One day while they were enjoying the warm sun on the river 
bank, Kayam stepped in the water and found that he could swim, and 
he said, "I wonder if I could make it across the river someday."
	Holcan sat next to Bol as if to be his shadow.  Holcan idly 
boasted, "I bet I could do it now." 
	"Betcha couldn't," Bol said.
	"Betcha shouldn't," Koh said.
	The ebony cub looked keenly at the distant shore.  It was 
devoid of trees, and crops waved in the mild breeze.  There were 
buildings and tiny brown bodies with bright markings that traveled in 
the fields.  He was fascinated.
	For a while, Holcan played a game with Bol, dropping different 
objects into the river to see which ones would sink and which ones 
would float.  Most sticks floated, though a couple of waterlogged 
twigs worked slowly to the bottom.  Leaves floated splendidly, and 
when a couple were dropped in the water, Bol and Holcan let them 
race each other downstream.  The idea of "flow" fascinated the cubs to 
no end.
	Holcan was obsessed with the forbidden lure of the opposite 
bank.  He looked at Bol and said, "I'll do it.  I'll show you all!"
	Holcan plunged into the water, yipping at the sudden loss of 
contact with solid ground, and started to paddle out into the current 
with his paws.  He made progress, water parting before his nose in a 
spreading wake.  "Kayam, I told you I could do it!"
	Koh spotted him and ran to her mother yelling, "Momma!  
Momma!  Look!"
	Ixtab gasped.  The tiny black cub bobbed perilously in the 
mighty green river.  She ran at top speed toward the bank.  "Holcan, 
you come back here THIS INSTANT!!"

***

	Holcan saw an angry jaguaress waiting for him on the 
riverbank, and he meekly returned, ears laid back and tail drooping.  
"Sorry, Mom."
	"Raise your tail!"
	"I won't do it again!  Do I have to get a cuffing??"
	"Do it now!"
	Holcan crouched on his front legs, his back half still standing.  
Trembling, he raised his tail, gritted his teeth and closed his eyes 
tightly.
	WHACK!
	"Oh Momma!  Please!"
	WHACK!
	"I'm so…"
	WHACK!
	"…sorry!"
	Ixtab prodded him with a paw till he opened his eyes.  "You 
must NEVER go past that river! You must NEVER go to the opposite 
bank. There our territory ends and the land of the two-legs begins.  
You have no business ever going there." 
	Holcan tried to choke back a sob.  "Yes, Momma."
	Chakal looked at him, an amused smile on his face.  "Old 
Machoc could tell you an earful about the two-legs, but don't you dare 
ask him!  If he ever saw you cubs, he'd snap you up like little mice."  
Chakal clicked his strong jaws together adding to the effect--the point 
was well taken.  Still, he smiled reassuringly and started grooming 
Holcan's wet fur.  
	"What's a Machoc?"
	"He's a big cat that eats naughty little cubs that wander away 
from their mom."
	Chakal added quietly, "Of course, you're quite safe if you 
behave yourselves and stick with your parents like you should."
	Throughout the lecture, Koh continued to stare at the opposite 
bank and its wonders.  "What's that white hill," she said.  "Is that like 
our place?"
	Chakal nodded.  "Machoc told me that the men of the two legs 
built them."
	"You talked with Machoc?" she said.  "Didn't he try to eat 
you?"
	"Nobody snaps me up like a little mouse," Chakal said with a 
proud grin.  "Still, I don't turn my back on Machoc, and I avoid these 
two-legs.  The two-legs are not like us--they are afraid of the jungle 
and so they make these odd places to survive.  The place where we 
stay was like that once--not as grand, but certainly you recognize some 
of the stone things from the place where you were born--but the men 
left and the trees grew back."
	Holcan said, "I thought they were always here."  
	Chakal looked down at a little seedling and said, "One day--not 
in your time or your son's time, but someday that will be a mighty 
giant in the forest, and then it too will fall and rot away, taken back to 
the heart of the earth.  The temples across the river will be overtaken 
there as they were at our home.  Things adjust.  Nothing is 
permanent."
	"Even us?" Holcan asked.
	"Yes.  We will grow old and crumble too.  But not for a long, 
long time."  He went to a fallen tree, dead and covered with moss.  
"You see the stump and the broken pillar?  This old fellow lived when 
the stars were young.  The older they are, the bigger they are.  It's just 
like us--I'm older, so I'm bigger."
	Holcan put his tiny black paw there.  It was much narrower.  
"How long have you been alive?"
	"Oh, a little over four cycles."
	"That long?"
	"That's not very old.  You make me sound ancient!"  Chakal 
laughed.
	"And how long have I been alive?"
	"Only three moons.  That's much less, but it means you have a 
much longer path ahead."
	Holcan said, "Wow, that's so neat!"  Then he looked at his 
father sadly.  "That means you're going to die before me?"
	Chakal bent down and kissed him.  "I hope so.  That is the 
natural order of things.  That's why your mother cuffed you for going 
in the river.  We don't want you to die young."


CHAPTER 8:  ON THE RIVERBANK

	Every day of the jaguars' life it had rained a little, but during 
the past moon they had endured the unremitting misery of almost 
nonstop downpours.  The endless sound of the pelting of millions of 
drops on the leaves became such a steady part of their lives that the 
jaguars ceased to hear it after a while.  The rain was both a blessing 
and a curse--the sound of it hid the already stealthy approach in the 
hunt, but it stirred up mud and made each moment miserable.  
	A true jaguar, Chakal enjoyed a good swim, but he hated being 
wetted by tiny beads that splashed in his eyes and made his fur a soggy 
mess.  He detested every moment spent hunting in the rain, but 
relished the rush of affection and attention he got when his visits were 
the only source of excitement for the cubs.
	Ixtab spent her days being pestered by four restless cubs.
	"I hate rain," Koh said.  "Why has it rained so long?"
	"I don't know," Ixtab answered.
	"Why does it have to rain anyway?"
	"It's part of the order of things.  If it never rained, things would 
be very dry.  There would be nothing to drink."
	"We could drink milk," Koh said.
	Ixtab asked, "Where would that leave your father and I?"  She 
half smiled at an amusing image that came to mind.  "Well anyway, 
where would that leave me?"
	"Will it stop raining today?" Bol asked.
	"I don't think so."
	"Do you think it will stop tomorrow?"
	"I'm not sure."
	"When will it stop raining?"
	"It might just stop before you drive me crazy."  She half-closed 
her eyes and sighed deeply.  "Hurry, gods, while there is still time."
	The cubs were no more fond of the rain than Chakal was, but 
all the enforced inactivity became even worse.  Restless and impatient, 
Holcan finally asked, "Mom, might we go play in the rain--if we're 
careful?"
	"I don't think that would be wise.  The mud is slippery and it's 
hard to see.  Besides, you always end up at the river, and it's in flood."
	"What's a flood?"
	"That's when the water is higher than usual.  Lots higher."
	"THIS much higher?" Koh asks, hopping up and holding her 
paw over her head.
	"You can't IMAGINE how much water is in it."
	"I want to see it," Kayam pleaded.  "Please, Momma?"
	Ixtab had made a grave error.  She made floods sound too 
interesting.  "It's dangerous."
	"We'll be careful," Kayam said.
	"No, son."
	"Please, please, pleeeease?"
	"Not now.  Maybe when you're older."
	"But I want to see it NOW while it's scary looking!"
	Ixtab raised her paw to give him a good cuff.  Kayam had been 
a pest, but she saw the sadness and fear in his small face and bent 
down to nuzzle him softly and kiss his cheek.  "It's time for your meal.  
Let me think about it while you nurse."
	She rolled on her back and the cubs took their places on her 
belly.  The kiss of their hungry mouths spread a warm sensation of 
pleasure through her.  She stroked Koh, her little daughter that 
reminded her so much of herself as a cub, then she comforted each of 
her sons.  Clearly Kayam was nursing, but he also had his eyes locked 
into her own.  The thought was so strong, it could almost be heard.  He 
had an all-consuming desire to see the flood waters.  Clearly he would 
begin to pester her again as soon as his hunger had abated.
	She decided to take them out, but being a practical mother, she 
knew better than to say, "Yes, as soon as you finish your meal."  She 
had made that mistake before--only once.
	A few minutes passed, then she shook her head to dispel the 
warm muzziness that their hypnotic suckling spread through her.  "IF 
you promise to just LOOK at the water, but not get IN it."
	"Yeah!" the cubs cried, rubbing and nuzzling her expectantly.

***

	The trip to the river in the driving rain was not very pleasant 
for Ixtab, but it was very liberating for the cubs.  While Ixtab trudged 
along in misery, the cubs were giggling and scampering about despite 
the downpour.  Ixtab had to constantly call her cubs back to her side.
	Even Ixtab thought the strengthened river was worth the trip to 
see.  Its massive swollen bulk moved with a raw power that pushed 
clumps of grass, branches, and even whole trees before it with 
unquenchable fervor.
	Chakal had followed them from his perch in the serpent's 
mouth.  His fur was soaked and drops of water hung like gems from 
his whiskers.  Trying to maintain some sense of dignity, while blinking 
water from his eyes he asked, "Ixtab, this is no time to be about with 
young cubs.  Have you lost your mind?"
	"Almost," she countered sharply.  "If you want them to go 
home, you go with them.  It's your turn to keep them amused."
	"No thank you.  I only know two stories, and they've heard 
them enough to recite them word for word."
	Ixtab looked back at the great expanse of water.  "They wanted 
to come.  Besides, I'm kind of glad I came here.  There was a creek 
where I came from, but nothing like this.  Look at it, Chakal!  Have 
you ever seen so much water?"
	"Where is it all going?" Bol asked.
	"That way," Ixtab said, looking downstream.
	"Listen to your mother," Chakal said shrewdly.  "She has a 
wealth of wisdom."
	Ixtab looked back at him.  "Well Mister Expert, where DOES 
all that water go?"
	"It goes to a big hole in the ground," he answered, trying to 
look authoritative.
	"Have you ever seen the hole?"
	"Oh sure.  Dozens of times."
	Ixtab looked about.  "Your father is telling a little joke.  There's 
really no hole in the…."  She stopped, for she only saw three cubs.  
	"Where is Holcan?"
	They looked about.  "Bol," Ixtab said with barely suppressed 
panic, "where is your brother?"
	"I thought he was with Koh."
	Koh looked about.  "Kayam, wasn't he with you?"
	Kayam looked at Chakal.  "Dad, I thought you were pulling a 
leaf out of his fur."
	"Don't look at me--I thought…."  Chakal drew in a deep breath 
and shouted, "Holcan??  Holcan, where are you??"
	Suddenly Koh shrieked.  "Momma, Momma, look!!"
	Holcan was a tiny black dot being swept away in the strong 
current.
	"Holcan!" Ixtab cried.  "Oh my gods!  Get back here this 
minute!"
	"Momma!" Holcan cried weakly, struggling to stay afloat.  
"Help me!!"
	His cries filled her with horror.  The other cubs began 
screaming, "Momma, do something!"
	"Stay here!" Ixtab snapped, then she began to run along the 
bank after the cub, dodging trees and bushes to gain a lead on him.  
Finally she won her race with the swift current and  plunged into the 
flood.  
	The river was more than water.  It was muddy and foaming and 
full of wood and leaves.  Gasping and paddling to stay upright, she 
looked about for the small black head among the debris.  It was hard to 
see; muddy water stung her eyes and she was surrounded by a blur of 
moving objects.
	"Momma!  Momma!"
	"I'm coming, honey!"
	Moving toward the cries she was fouled by branches and 
battered by limbs impatient to move downstream.  "Holcan!  Where 
are you??"
	"Over here!"
	Surprised that the sound was so close by, she spotted the small 
terror-stricken face hardly a length away.  A few more splashes with 
her strong forelimbs brought her to his side and she finally touched 
Holcan's struggling body.  
	She grasped him by the nape of the neck, paddling desperately 
to keep his head above water.  He felt so small and helpless in the 
great tide.  She was little better off herself, yet her mother love gave 
her incredible strength.  She breasted the muddy brownish gray wall of 
angry water, determined to save her son.  She didn't know which shore 
she was approaching.  Indeed, she didn't know where she was.
	Something jabbed her in the back and she nearly dropped 
Holcan.  Looking about, she saw a tree trunk large enough to cling to 
and she grabbed for it, placing Holcan atop it so she could catch her 
breath. 
	"Momma, I'm scared!"
	"Don't be, darling.  I'm going to get you out of here.  I have 
everything under control…."
	Ixtab held her face out of the water by clinging to the log.  She 
could just make out the distant golden shapes of her family running 
along the bank after her.  "My gods, we're almost to the other bank!  
Honey, we have to go now."  She reached for the nape of his neck, but 
before she could grasp him a huge swell tossed them high up and 
brought them crashing down in a torrent of muddy foam.  Ixtab 
struggled desperately just to stay afloat and she looked about for her 
cub.  "Holcan!  Holcan!!  Where are you, Holcan??"
	He, the tree, and even the shoreline were nowhere to be seen.  
She was shoved underwater by a large branch and had to work fast to 
break its hold on her and reach surface again to gasp for air.
	"Holcan!!  Holcan!!  It's me!!  Your Momma!!  Come to 
Momma!!"  The cub was lost in the melee.  There was no cub's cry 
over the roar of the water.  Ixtab looked about frantically, hoping to 
catch sight of her son.  "Oh gods, answer me!!"
	Chakal's voice, barely heard, was shouting, "Ixtab!  He's gone!  
Come over here!"
	"Chakal!  Where is he??"
	"Come over here!"
	She turned toward the voice and headed to shore.  She was 
weak from her long struggle--It took her a long time to fight her way 
across the current, and she did not know how far she had traveled.  
Chakal and the cubs were there to meet her.
	Ixtab dragged herself up on the bank, then turned and scanned 
the waters for a bobbing black face.
	"Are you all right, Momma?" Bol asked.
	"I must go back."
	"Where's Holcan?" He asked.
	"He's still out there!  I have to get him!"
	She started back toward the water but Chakal intercepted her 
gently but firmly.  "No, darling.  It's too late."
	"But he's out there looking for me!!  Let me go!!"
	"He's not looking for anyone," Chakal said, lowering his head.  
"He's gone."
	"But honey, I put him on the tree!  I can find the tree, but I 
have to go now!"
	"I saw him fall into the water."  Chakal's head stayed down.  
"Ixtab, darling, remember the cubs.  Don't torment them.  No one 
could have survived that."
	"But Chakal!"
	"We're lucky just to have you back."  Chakal nuzzled her sadly.  
"If I thought there was a chance, I'd go after him myself.  I saw him go 
under.  Oh gods, I saw him go under, but I didn't see him come up!"
	Fatigued and in shock, Ixtab said, "Oh my little baby!  I hope it 
was quick.  I've never had someone I love die before.  I was so close--I 
touched him!  I should have never put him down, not for a second!"
	"It wasn't your fault," Chakal insisted.
	"I went the wrong way," Ixtab said, panting and shivering.  "It 
was chaos out there."
	"I know," Chakal said, nuzzling her softly.  "Are you all right?"
	"I don't know.  I think so."
	Bol watched the large trees being swept downstream.  "He's 
still alive!"
	"Do you see him??" Chakal asked.
	"No.  I just feel it.  We gotta go after him!"
	"Oh son!  Don't let your feelings tear you apart!  If we stick 
together, we'll make it through this somehow.  He's gone--try to accept 
it--grieve for him."
	"Yes sir."  Bol looked down.  "But he's still alive.  He really is.  
I bet I could find him.  He was black--that's supposed to be lucky!  
Please let me try!!  Please!!"
	A shattered Ixtab looked across the water one last time as the 
rain pelted her mockingly.  "My little son."  Koh, who had always been 
the closest to her mother, saw that she needed a good nuzzle.  She 
snuggled by her side and rested her head on Ixtab.  "I'll never leave you 
Mom."
	Numbly, Ixtab said, "Don't be foolish, child.  Someday when 
you get older, you'll want to go find your destiny with a mate and cubs 
of your own."
	"Not me," Koh said.  "I'll never leave you.  I promise."
	"My precious little daughter," Ixtab said, tears running down 
her cheeks.  She kissed away Koh's tears, then turned and slowly led 
the cubs away.
	Chakal remembered the talk not so long ago when Holcan 
wanted to cross the river.  A fallen tree lay nearby.  Like the tree, 
Holcan had fallen and would eventually return to the heart of the earth.  
"Holcan is dead!  Oh gods!"  He extended his claws and dug into the 
soft wood, scoring it deeply as a pain surged up in his gut and tears 
began to flood his eyes.  "Holcan, my son!  My son!"
	

CHAPTER 9:  THE RESCUE

	Shivering and half dead, Holcan clung weakly to a large 
branch.  "Mom??" he called in a thin, weak voice.  Holcan had been 
pushed underwater.  When he finally clawed and paddled his way back 
to the surface he looked for his mother but could not see her.  He 
begged the gods to let her live, but he felt she had died trying to save 
him.
	Holcan didn't know how long he had been in the water.  It 
might have been minutes--it might have been hours.  Just when he felt 
his strength failing him, the branch slowed its progress in the water 
close to the bank.  Wet through and shivering, he relaxed his grip, 
paddling weakly through the last few lengths of water and stumbling 
up the bank.
	After he had stepped over the short rise, he saw to his horror 
that he was on the wrong side of the river!  There were two-legs' 
everywhere!  Something told him even in his weakened state that he 
should try to escape.  He looked back at the branch, yet he knew he 
would never make it across the river till the flood receded.  So forcing 
his tired legs to move, he trudged weakly toward some bushes to hide 
himself until dark came and he quickly fell into an exhausted sleep.

***

	Holcan woke suddenly, sensing danger.  Horrified, he saw 
some young two-legs were headed in his direction.  One of the shorter 
two-legs--a cub perhaps?--pointed at him.  With horror, Holcan saw 
the young creature was headed in his direction.  Though it was only a 
cub, the two-legs still dwarfed him, and it was bending over about to 
pick him up!
	Holcan hissed and moved a couple of steps back.  It had a 
momentary effect on the two-leg cub, but it still picked him up--rather 
roughly.  Swinging helplessly, Holcan endured the arm across his chest 
that pinned him to the beaming youngster.  As the two-leg began to 
run with his new prize, Holcan bounced up and down and felt rather 
foolish and very frightened.
	Suddenly the young one came to a halt.  One of the adults was 
looking down, and it was angry and scolding.  "They're fighting over 
me," he thought.  "Maybe I can get away."
	Eventually the elder prevailed and the two-leg cub handed 
Holcan up to the adult.  Holcan's one chance to escape was foiled and 
high above the ground in the arms of a two-leg, he shivered from cold 
and fear of death.  Holcan's short life appeared to be over.
	And yet the large rust-skinned creature cradled him properly in 
its arms and fondled his neck with a large furless paw.  Holcan tried to 
focus on the creature.  It seemed to be covered with strangely colored 
fur, but the outer layer came off with a single pull as the two-legs 
removed it from its shoulders and wrapped him in its dry warmth.
	Holcan found that the adult two-legs gave him a smoother ride.  
He was too weak to struggle much, and with the mantle wrapped about 
him, it would have done little good.  His shivering began to die down, 
for he did not feel himself in immediate danger.  But when the two-
legs stepped inside its hut and all the strange sights and smells 
overwhelmed him, Holcan started to squirm in a panic.
	Then something extraordinary happened.  The two-legs sat 
upright like a monkey, its legs forming a lap.  Then it placed Holcan in 
its lap and gently started to dry Holcan with the cloak, getting the 
water out of his ears and some of the cloying moisture from his pelt 
with surprising tenderness.
	"This thing is trying to help me," Holcan realized.  "I'm not 
going to be eaten after all!"  Holcan looked into the eyes of the 
creature and saw no danger there, and he did not struggle as it wrapped 
a new cloak of soft alpaca wool about him.
	A fire burned nearby, and though Holcan had never seen fire 
before, he watched it suspiciously.  He had heard stories about the 
strange yellow light that roams where it will and destroys everything in 
its path.  This thing provided light and warmth but stayed where it was 
bidden.  Its movements were almost hypnotic, and Holcan stared at it.  
The two-legs placed him near the fire and life began to soak back into 
his chilled body.
	So these were the terrible creatures Dad had warned him 
about!  Some danger!  Even fire turned out to be harmless!  The only 
real discomforts he'd experienced thus far were the rough child and his 
hunger.  Speaking of which….
	Holcan wriggled out of the alpaca cloak and walked to the two-
legs.  He made the soft meowing and pawing that always made Mom 
roll over and expose her teats.  The stranger did not seem to 
understand at first. Holcan grew curious and explored it as it sat on the 
ground.  A couple of nudges and sniffs told him this two-legs was a 
male, and no source of nourishment.
	Now he WAS worried.  Unless this male had a mate, Holcan 
was in real trouble.  He began to yowl and paw the ground.  "I am SO 
hungry," he thought.  "What I wouldn't give for a good meal right 
now!"
	The two-legs finally seemed to understand.  He came and 
scooped Holcan up in his hands, lifting him high up as he walked 
across the room.  "Why doesn't he carry me in his mouth like normal 
people?" Holcan thought.  He paddled ineffectively with his legs, 
looking for support that wasn't there.  The two-legs then put his other 
hand under Holcan's rear and supported him more comfortably.
	Holcan was borne gently outside the house and into a nearby 
stable.  Though the structure was not as nice as his house, it was full of 
interesting things.  Standing in one corner was a nanny goat with a 
young kid.  Holcan had never seen a goat before, and though he did 
not like the way they smelled, he was fascinated by watching the kid 
take a meal.  The two-legs placed him nearby and urged him forward 
with a soft press on the back end.  Holcan timidly approached the 
nanny.
	"What are you?" the nanny goat asked.
	"I'm Holcan."
	"I've ne-e-e-ver seen a Holcan!"
	Holcan laughed.  "You talk funny!"
	"Well you LOOK funny!"  The goat looked him up and down.  
"If you're not a Holcan, what are you?"
	"I'm a Jaguar."
	"I thought they were bigger!"
	"I will be--someday.  Big like my Dad!"  Holcan had said it 
with pride, but a sudden lump rose in his throat.  He bowed his head 
and tears began to roll from his eyes.  For the first time, he began to 
realize the true scope of his loss.  He had a large family that loved 
him, but now he was alone in the world.
	"Why the tears?"
	"I'm lost.  My Mom and Dad don't know where I am.  Maybe 
they think I'm dead."
	"Lost?" she said.  "I bet you're hungry too."
	"Yeah."
	He came to her, suddenly understanding the gentle, kindly look 
in her eyes.  He meowed and began to paw her, hoping she would roll 
on her back and nurse him.  She did not lay down, but she looked at 
him expectantly.  He saw what the kid was doing--he was nursing 
standing up!
	"That's so weird!" Holcan said.  "Momma always laid down to 
nurse us."
	The nanny shook her head and bleated.  "Was your momma 
sick?  We never lay down to nurse!"
	Holcan shyly approached her distended udder and after taking 
one last look at how the kid suckled, he nursed her.  The milk was 
different--not altogether to his liking, but on his empty stomach any 
milk was a healing comforter.  He lightly pawed her side to make the 
milk flow, and the nanny looked down at him and smiled, a little 
amused.  Then she reached down and lightly groomed his fur between 
her flat teeth.
	The kid was curious about the strange black visitor.  "Wanna 
play?"
	Holcan looked around.  "Sure!  Let's wrestle!"
	The concept of wrestling seemed lost on the kid.  Holcan 
prepared himself to accept a paws-out tackle, but the kid came running 
straight at him, head down.
	"OOOOF!"
	The kid had a good laugh at Holcan's expense.  Determined to 
defend his honor, Holcan tried to give him a good cuffing.  The kid 
only reared up and began to flail with his hoofed forefeet.  A couple of 
strikes rattled Holcan enough to make the game turn serious.
	While the kid still laughed, Holcan used his superior agility to 
slip underneath his opponent and flip him on his back.  Pinning him by 
sitting on him, Holcan beamed with a self-satisfied grin.  "Let's see you 
top that!"
	"Be careful," the nanny warned.
	"Oh I wouldn't hurt him," Holcan replied.  "I was just playing."
	"Yes, just playing," the kid replied, striking him with a hoof.  
"Get off me, you big Holcan!"
	Fun time was over as quickly as it started.  The two-legs came 
and whisked him away with one quick grab, and soon he found 
himself back in the house.
	A longing above all other wants and needs turned his thoughts 
toward home, but for the present he clung to his savior and tried 
desperately to stave off the loneliness that had trapped him.  The two-
legs seemed pleased to return his affections.  Clearly this two-legs 
would make sure he was fed and tended to.  Perhaps the two-legs was 
lonely too, and given time, his love would grow and become beautiful.
	Holcan had not given up on finding his family.  He ran to the 
door one last time and shrieked, "Mom!  Dad!  Please!  Momma!!"  It 
was a useless gesture, caught as he was in the noise of a large city.  A 
few chickens squawked in protest, but otherwise his call had no effect.  
It was an empty feeling, as if everything that had meaning for him had 
been stolen in one sudden raid.  Where his family probably lay 
grieving in the jungle for one lost cub, he had lost his whole family.  
He crawled into a corner, curled up alone and wept bitterly.


CHAPTER 10:  LONLINESS

	There was no hunt that night.  Ixtab lay quietly with Kayam 
and Koh huddled against her.  Chakal was crouched nearby; either he 
had nothing to say or so much that he scarcely knew where to begin.
	The only real movement in the temple was Bol, who paced 
about agitatedly and stopped from time to time to look out the door 
and gaze over the tree tops.  "I really think we ought to look one more 
time," he told Chakal.  "Dad, he's out there somewhere."
	"Come here, son."  The jaguar patted with his paw, and Bol 
drew near and lay next to him.  "We all loved Holcan and we all miss 
him terribly.  I know you were his special friend and it's going to be 
hardest on you losing him.  But I want you to know that we all love 
you too.  Kayam and Koh and your mother and I all care for you very 
much and we will be here for you."
	"I know."  Bol touched Chakal's face with his tiny pink tongue.  
"But Daddy…." Tears sprang to his eyes and his voice was small and 
trembly.  "….he's out there all alone and scared.  He really is alive.  
Please let me go look for him.  Please?"
	Chakal's large paw slid softly and slowly over his son's tiny 
form.  "Sleep, my son.  You have had a long and weary day."
	In the ensuing silence, only an occasional sob could be heard.  
Ixtab, Koh and Kayam had settled into a reluctant sleep.  Chakal 
stopped rubbing Bol; his paw fell limp at last.
	Bol alone was awake.  Very carefully he moved from under his 
father's arm and crept quietly toward the doorway.
	Ixtab opened one eye.  Her maternal senses picked up his quiet 
retreat.  Rather than confronting him, she decided to follow him to 
find out where he was going.  
	As Bol headed down the temple stairs and across the grounds, 
she stalked him like prey, only there would be no sudden rush.  He 
went down to the place where Holcan fell in the river.  
	"Holcan!" he cried.  "Holcan!  Please answer me!  Please!"  No 
one answered him, and he rolled on his back and began to sob.  
"Holcan!  Please!"
	Ixtab broke from cover and hurried over.  "Oh my poor baby!"  
She stretched out on the ground, then pulled him over between her 
front legs and softly groomed him.  Tears ran down Ixtab's cheeks.  
"This is no time for you to be about, honey.  Come back with me."
	"I can't."
	"I'm your Momma and I said come home."
	"But if it was me out there, wouldn't you want Holcan to wait 
for me?"
	"Yes, darling.  I would."  She kissed him gently.  "You can 
stay, but don't stray from this spot till you're ready to come home.  If I 
lost you too, I'd die.  I'd just die."
	"I'll stay here.  I promise."

***

	The first night Holcan spent away from home was odd and 
frightening.  The two-legs placed a roll of cloth next to the fire and sat 
Holcan on it.  The cub could not understand the sounds he was 
making, but the two-legs expected him to sleep there.  Holcan turned 
about on it, trying to push a depression into it that would fit his body 
well, then he snuggled down.  The cloth was warm and soft, but it felt 
and smelled very alien to him.  
	A large macaw rested on a perch in the corner, a looming 
presence that cast a large shadow in the firelight.  From time to time it 
would grunt softly, but mostly it coughed.  That was the only thing 
Holcan could imagine the sound was.  The bird would hold its head 
down and cough, then gasp.  A few minutes would pass and the 
process would repeat.  The noise frightened him, as did the looming 
black shadows all about him in the unnatural firelight.  
	Holcan felt so alone.  He had always slept with his brother Bol 
next to him, his head resting against his mother's side.  The familiar 
scent of loved ones and the murmur of Ixtab's heart would soothe him 
and work the magic of sleep on him.  Without them, he lay in misery 
trying to shut his eyes, but unable to rest in the solitude of his 
misfortune.  
	At last he stirred and went to the base of the bed where the 
two-legs lay on the floor.
	Was he already asleep?  Would he be patient and loving like 
Ixtab?  With a timid nudge of his nose and a soft prod of his paw, he 
tested the sleeping giant.
	The two-legs opened one eye, then smiled and patted beside 
himself.  Holcan was glad.  He didn't have to be invited twice but 
came and snuggled next to his warmth.  His scent was different, but 
the warmth and heartbeat were comforting.  Holcan tried to forget his 
troubles long enough to sleep.  Maybe he would go home tomorrow….


CHAPTER 11:  THE BLACK JAGUARS

	Holcan had spent much of his life in a room abandoned by 
two-legs, but he had never seen the many curious things they kept 
around them.  In the center of the room a fire crackled on the hearth, 
and in a corner herbs and strips of dried meat hung from racks.  More 
of the odd coverings the two-legs used instead of fur hung on the wall.  
To Holcan's sensitive nose, the room was alive with an incredible 
array of scents--the tempting smell of jerky, the well-oiled aroma of 
treated leather, the musty odor of drying corn.  As a jaguar, Holcan 
was used to living simply and well.  He would gnaw on a bone or turn 
a stick into a game of tug-of-war, but the concept of "possessions" was 
usually restricted to his territory, his usual teat on Ixtab's belly, and his 
family.  Looking about, he was surprised to see how much stuff the 
two-legs possessed and handled in a single day.
	A nice soft pallet lay on the floor where Holcan had spent the 
night.  It was stuffed with straw and wool, and felt soft like Ixtab's 
belly.  From there he began his explorations of the two-legs odd den.
	Stacked about were several odd picture-covered boulders 
which ended up being hollow containers entered through holes in the 
top.  Tortoise-like, they were hard and uninteresting on the outside but 
contained pleasing things.  Holcan could have spent a whole day just 
going through the jars.
	A long straight stick leaned against the wall.  The end of the 
stick had a tip of pointed stone which had been carefully lashed on 
with a strip of rawhide and decorated with colored feathers.  Next to it 
was a large round piece of leather with painted designs.
	"He puts things together to make all kinds of weird stuff," 
Holcan thought.	 "Are these toys?" Holcan wondered.  "Does he 
play with them, or does he have cubs?"
	The two-legs came back.  He had a dead bird with brightly-
colored plumage.  Holcan thought the two-legs would eat it or share it 
with him, but he plucked the long, ornamental feathers from the wings 
and began to attach them to the edge of the round piece of hide.  
	Holcan drew nearer for a closer look, hoping to learn how--and 
why--the two-legs built those odd items.  The two-legs looked down 
and smiled.  Suddenly his strong arm swept down and bundled Holcan 
up before he could resist.  "Coatl!" he said in a strong but friendly 
voice.  It was apparently what the two-legs called him.  
	The powerful hands bundled Holcan's small body next to one 
of his unusual broad shoulders.  For a moment Holcan was frightened 
of the large drop to the floor, but the two-legs rubbed his cheek against 
his face and held him tightly.  "Coatl," he said softly, and brushed his 
lips against Holcan's face several times.  His new friend never caressed 
him with his tongue, but Holcan knew love when he felt it, and he 
touched the brick-red face of the two-legs with his pink tongue, 
snuggling under his chin.
	The priest sat his back on the ground, but he used short, 
passionate words as if he were about to do something special and 
pleasurable.  Then from his belt pouch he pulled a large wooden ball 
painted bright red and sat it on the floor.
	Holcan went to sniff of it, but before he could, the priest gave 
it a little shove.  It rolled across the floor!  Holcan giggled delightedly 
and chased it till it hit one of the walls and started to roll back.  He 
looked at the two-legs, wondering if he might be allowed to keep it.  
The priest smiled, nodded his head and went back to his work.
	"If only Kayam could see me now!" he thought.  "HE doesn't 
have any two-leg friends!"  For a moment the thought warmed him and 
made him proud, but it grew cold and turned sad.  Holcan wanted to 
see Kayam again, but it was Bol whose esteem mattered the most to 
him--Bol and his parents.  If only he could make the two-legs 
understand that he wanted to go home!  If only this creature would 
help him find his family!

***

	Chakal was headed around the border of his territory marking 
trees.  He walked a bit slower than usual and he didn't hum to himself 
as he once did.  "Holcan will never have a territory," he thought to 
himself.  "He will never hunt or fall in love and mate.  He will never 
have cubs of his own."
	Chakal took a halfhearted scent of a tamshen tree, then turned 
and sprayed it with his urine.
	From the shadows Machoc came up to him.  "Hello, Chakal!  
How are you today?"
	Chakal met his eyes for a moment then turned away.
	"Look," Machoc said, "I'll teach you a new trick you can show 
to Ixtab and the cubs."
	"Haven't you taught Ixtab enough lessons?"
	Machoc hung his head with embarrassment.  "I didn't know she 
was your mate, Chakal.  I'm sorry.  Please let's not quarrel--I miss our 
talks, and our friendship."
	"So do I," Chakal said.  "Still, that was no way to treat a lady--
ANY lady.  Didn't your parents teach you better?"
	"I never knew my father," Machoc said.  "My mother slept 
often--her life was not worth living.  She died when I was two cycles 
old.  Everything I know about life, I've learned through trial and error."
	"Oh, I'm sorry."
	"I made a mistake with Ixtab, but I learned from it.  Really I 
did."  Machoc looked at him with a half smile of appeasment.  "You'd 
know how I feel if you ever lost anyone dear to you.  I hope you never 
do, but till then give me the benefit of the doubt--please?"
	Chakal looked back at him, a desolate emptiness in his eyes.  
His chin trembled and tears to well up in his eyes.  "I do understand.  
My son Holcan was carried away in the flood."
	"Oh no!"  Machoc lowered his head.  "I'm so sorry!  I had no 
idea."
	"Yeah.  His life was short, but at least it was very happy."  A 
sob nearly doubled him over.  "Listen to me acting like a cub!  I feel 
like a fool."
	Machoc violated one of the strictest rules of territoriality.  He 
crossed the invisible line dividing his land from Chakal's and for the 
very first time touched his friend, nuzzling him softly and pawing his 
shoulder and back.  A melancholy purr escaped the black jaguar and 
his pink tongue touched the side of Chakal's throat.  "What passes 
between us will be our secret.  Let it out, friend.  Let it out."
	"I try to be strong for the others," Chakal stammered, leaning 
on Machoc.  "Sometimes I feel fine.  This morning it was like nothing 
ever happened.  I can talk about Holcan and say his precious little 
name…."  He trembled, leaning more firmly on the black jaguar.  "But 
other times I feel so mauled inside that I have to go away and be by 
myself.  I try to dig a hole and bury this pain but there is no hole deep 
enough!"
	"There never is," Machoc said, kissing him again.
	Tears ran freely down Chakal's cheeks.  "Holcan was my 
favorite.  I tried not to have a favorite, but the gods in heaven above 
know how much I've suffered since he died!  He was my heart and 
soul, and when he was ripped from me, my heart went with him!  I've 
had no one to talk to about it.  I mustn't worry Ixtab and the cubs.  
They need to think I'm strong.  They need to believe I'm over this, but 
I'm not.  I'm not!"  He choked back a sob.  "Holcan, my poor little boy!  
What I wouldn't do just to see you once more!"
	"I know, son.  I know."  Machoc's eyes welled up.  "I'm so 
sorry!"
	"I'll learn to live with it, but I sometimes feel I'll never be quite 
the same again."
	"You never will," Machoc said tenderly.  "It's rare that a whole 
day goes by that I don't think about my mother.  When I'm injured or 
sad or I just need a friend, I wish I could have her back, just for an 
hour."  Machoc sighed.  "Chakal, we are bound together by grief.  Let 
nothing separate us.  Please let's never fight again.  I will be kind to 
Ixtab and your cubs, and if you need to talk, I would be honored if you 
came to me."
	Chakal nuzzled him.  "You may be a grouch old friend, but 
from time to time you're really nice."
	Machoc half smiled.  "From time to time everyone's really 
nice."


CHAPTER 12:  A WORD FROM THE BIRD

	Holcan had suffered a devistating emotional loss.  His plunge 
into the river had stripped him of all he had known, all he had lived 
for.  Into the void came a two-leg priest and a nanny goat.  Their love 
sustained him as he fought depression and uncertainty. Even the nanny 
goat's kid came to treat Holcan as a brother.  As time passed, Holcan 
grew to return their love, kissing the kindly old nanny goat and 
cuddling beneath the priest's warm chin.  He even let the kid win a few 
games, teaching him how to wrestle jaguar style.  
	There was no chance of Holcan learning the lessons of a young 
jaguar.  No hunters lived near the priest's home, not even an ocelot.  
Even if the preist was a hunter, he spoke a strange tongue that rattled 
in Holcan's head like so much frog croaking.  For Holcan there would 
be no chance of leaving to find his destiny when he came of age.  He 
would never find a mate and raise cubs of his own.  There was no lack 
of feeling in his heart, but in the strength of his youth he was prone to 
accept what he could not change.  Holcan seemed to know that his old 
life was over, and when he felt longings for his family, he found ways 
to occupy himself, blinking back the tears in silent acceptance.  As he 
gradually adjusted to his new family, the sharp pain of his own losses 
dulled to an ache.
	Still there were moments when the pain was sharp once again.  
Holcan would occasionally awake from a dream in which he was 
wrapped in his mother’s forepaws while she groomed behind his ears, 
the place he loved best.  Nanny was as kind to him as he could hope 
for and she tried to fill the gap in his life, but her flat teeth could never 
replace the rough warm tongue of Ixtab.
	While the two-legs was gone on one of his errands, Holcan 
explored the many wonders of the stable about him, filling the spare 
time with new discoveries.  It was on one of these occasions that he 
finally discovered an unexpected friend.
	One of the two-legs' prized possessions was a large red and 
blue macaw whose feathers seemed to glow in the sunlight and blaze 
in the firelight.  The old bird had never spoke to him, and Holcan had 
always assumed he did not know how to do more than utter painful 
screeches and bouts of coughing.  At his young age Holcan made a lot 
of assumptions, many of them wrong.  He was about to discover his 
error.
	The black cub had been pacing about aimlessly, peering 
through the cracks in the boards of the rough hewn stable and batting 
at specks of dust as they floated in the sun that shone through them.  
Working his way through a rough tumble of wooden slats, he entered a 
small alcove and sniffed about, tiny whiskers twitching as he detected 
an odd dry smell from somewhere nearby.  Working his way around, 
he batted aimlessly at the dust and chaff that puffed up from 
underneath his paws, barely noticing them as his nose continued to 
seek out the strange, exotic scent.   A flicker of motion attracted his 
senses and he batted at it absently, still sniffing at the floor.
	A scarlet wing flapped down and swatted him soundly.  “Do 
you MIND?  That's my tail.”
	Holcan tumbled back in alarm.  “Oh!  You’re the birdie!”
	Yellow eyes blinked and looked at him in amusement.  “And 
you're the black little jaguar.  Another Machoc."
	"You knew Machoc??"
	The Macaw looked back.  "YOU know Machoc??"  He flapped 
his wings briskly.  "Are you his son?"
	"NO!" Holcan asked, offended by the idea.  "He's my neighbor.  
My mom is Ixtab and my dad is Chakal.  Do you know them too?  I 
got here in a flood and the two-legs and the goat have been so nice to 
me and all, but I want my family back, and I WANT TO GO HOME!"  
Holcan fell on his back and pawed at the macaw in pleading.  "Please 
Bird, help me!  Help me!  Mom and Dad think I'm dead!  Help me 
please!"
	"Slow down, Coatl.  Don't shout--I'm old but I'm not deaf."  He 
coughed again, wheezing and nearly falling from his perch.  "I'll see 
what I can do."
	"My name's not Coatl.  It's Holcan."
	"Well, mine's not 'Bird.'  It's Oxcacopan.  You may call me 
Oxie."  The parrot cocked his head and shrilled a note into the air.  
"The two-legs will not give you up easily.  The problem is he owns 
you now."
	"Can he do that?"
	"He's a priest.  He can do anything."
	"What's a priest?"
	"That's someone that makes special things happen that no one 
else can do.  Just look around you at all this stuff.  The two-legs kneels 
on the ground and talks to someone all the time, but I never see or hear 
them.  I wonder if the gods really talk to him, or if he just keeps trying 
to reach them."  He leaned over and added in a near whisper, "Coatl, 
I've seen some strange things since I've been here.  I tend to think they 
DO talk to him."
	"I don't like that name.  Please call me Holcan."
	"If it makes you happy, Holcan."
	"Where am I?"
	"You're in the nest of the high priest.  He's very important here.  
Even the chief comes by from time to time."
	"What's a chief?"
	"That's someone who can beat up anyone else in the whole 
territory.  I used to be a chief of sorts before the two-legs came and 
captured me.  Now I have to do what he says all the time."
	"Why did they capture you?"
	"Because they think I'm sacred.  Coatl--Holcan--I suppose 
you're here because you're a black jaguar.  They think you're sacred 
too."
	"Sacred?  What's a sacred?"
	"It means they think you are a god."
	"Me?  A god??"  He chuckled.  "I wish Koh could hear that!  
Koh's my sister.  She's always telling on me."
	The parrot also laughed.  "Yeah, what idiot would think YOU 
were a god!"
	Holcan looked at him crossly.  "How do you know I'm NOT 
one?  I might put a bad curse on you!"
	Oxie began to preen himself.  "Well if you're a god, you 
obviously don't need my help."
	"Oh no!  Please!!  I'm not a god!!  I wouldn't put a curse on you 
even if I could!"  He began to sob and he rolled on his back pawing 
again.  "Please help me!!  Please!!  I want to see my Momma!!"
	"Calm down, little fellow!  No need to get your feathers 
ruffled!  I said I'd see what I could do, and I always keep a promise."
	"But you didn't promise."
	"I promise.  Okay?"




CHAPTER 13:  HUNTING LESSONS

	The remaining cubs missed Holcan terribly.  It was their first 
experience with loss, and the lesson it taught them weighed heavily on 
their minds and hearts.  However, like Holcan they were strong at that 
young age--their bodies and abilities were changing daily, and the loss 
of Holcan was a change among others that they reacted to with sadness 
but adapted to with resolve.  Life went on.
	Bol was the hardest hit of the three.  Holcan was once his black 
shadow, but now Bol walked alone in terrible emptiness.  While Ixtab 
was cautious about the wanderings of the cubs, she accepted that he 
would slip away for several minutes at a time.  She knew she could 
find her son sitting by the river waiting for Holcan to return.  It was 
Bol's way of dealing with his grief, and out of love she allowed it.
	Ixtab gave a great deal of thought on how to help Bol.  She 
took Kayam aside and encouraged him to do his best to raise his 
brother's spirits.  She watched him try with mixed pride and 
disappointment.
	Kayam tried to get Bol in a wrestling match, but he would not 
fight.  Kayam showed off some new tricks his father had taught him, 
but Bol sat listlessly and paid no attention.  Kayam performed his 
special trick, a back flip that his father taught him--it was spectacular, 
but Bol paid only passing interest.  Nothing he did could make his 
brother smile.  
	Koh went to the dispirited Kayam and said, "Well, I thought it 
was a very good trick."  Usually the slightest kind word from Koh was 
enough to make Kayam's day, but he just sighed.
	When evening came, Kayam quietly followed Bol to the 
riverbank and sat with him.  Without saying a word, Kayam rested 
with his shoulder against Bol and sighed.  Bol looked about with 
genuine love in his eyes.  "I wish mother would come too.  When 
Holcan comes home, he'll be so hungry."
	Without thinking, Kayam said, "If he's alive out there, maybe 
he's eating stuff like worms."  
	It was a terrible mistake.  "IF he's alive??" Bol said, looking 
about crossly.  "What do you mean 'IF' he's alive??"
	Kayam was taken aback.  "Well, he was alive when he fell in 
the river, but he might have starved.  Or maybe something ate him.  I 
hate it, Bol, but he might not be alive.  It's not safe out there."
	"But he IS!  I can FEEL it!  You gotta believe me!"
	"Okay, okay, I believe you."
	"Then come with me and we'll look for him together."
	"I can't.  Mom wouldn't let me."
	"We won't be gone long.  He couldn’t be very far away.  He's 
lost out there and scared and hungry!  What if he IS eating worms??  
Don't you care??"
	"Of COURSE I care!  But I'm not going in there to look for 
him.  Look, Bol, he might NOT be alive, and if we go out there, we 
might not be alive TOO!"
	"I thought you were my friend!" Bol snarled viscously.  "Why 
don't you go home and do what your Momma says, you old poop 
head!"
	Kayam grew angry, but he saw the tears of frustrated grief 
rolling down Bol's cheeks.  "I'm sorry," he muttered, turning away 
quietly.
	Ixtab watched for Kayam's return.  When he crept in quietly 
with his head bowed, she knew he had failed.  Still she was so proud 
of him and so full of love that she nuzzled him softly and waited with 
him and his sister Koh as the light turned soft and purple with the 
lowering sun.  At last a tired and discouraged Bol quietly stalked in 
and took his place on the other side of Koh from Kayam as they had 
their evening meal.
	Ixtab had only one plan left.  The cubs were rather small, but 
after they finished nursing, she looked up cheerfully and said, "All 
right!  It's time for hunting lessons!"
	The cubs looked about at once.  "Hunting lessons!  Neat!"
	The cubs had been eating small amounts of meat in addition to 
their milk diet, and even at that age they knew some animals tasted 
better than others.  Being able to catch their own prey and to have 
some choice over their diet appealed to them.  Ixtab smiled to herself, 
for she knew when they were away and had to fill their own bellies 
they would be less particular.

***

	Ixtab and led the cubs into the small western meadow.  Clearly 
she had their full attention, and she enjoyed teaching them, but there 
was a slight note of sadness.  She was teaching them the first skill that 
would make them independent.
	"You were born to hunt," Ixtab said.  "You were given a 
powerful, swift body to catch and kill prey.  But the prey was given a 
powerful, swift body to flee.  If you are to make a kill, you must seek 
some kind of advantage.  That's where hunting lessons come in."
	Chakal showed up with a hare which he placed at Ixtab's feet 
before nuzzling her.  "Hello, Momma."
	"Hello, Daddy."  She nuzzled him back.  "How would you like 
to be the prey for a change?"
	"Prey??"  He looked at the cubs and said, "I guess our cubs are 
growing faster than sedgegrass!  Hunting lessons already?"
	"Yes, and I need your help.  Can you be a deer?"
	"I don't know.  I've never tried."
	Ixtab shot him a shrewd glance.  "Maybe you'll find being a rat 
less challenging?"
	Chakal laughed.  "No thanks.  A deer it is.  But I must be a 
magnificent stag with seven point antlers and stunning good looks."
	"Actually they should strike for the old and sick ones first.  
Don't worry--you'll be perfect for the part."
	"Well thanks," he said snidely, heading a few lengths away into 
the deep grass.  He looked away and plunged his muzzle into the 
meadow grass.  "Mmmmm, this is so good!  I sure hope it's safe to 
graze here…."
	"The secret to success is in the approach," Ixtab said.  "You can 
run swiftly, faster than your prey can, but not as far.  If you don't 
surprise your prey, you will go hungry.  Now watch me carefully."  
	Ixtab dropped low, her body becoming one with the ground.  
The purpose of her beautiful spotted coat became clear to the cubs as 
she maneuvered closer and closer to her prey.  "See how I don't fight 
with the terrain, I conform to it.  Focus your thoughts on the approach.  
Concentrate… concentrate… then when you're as close as you can 
dare approach…."
	Suddenly, she sprang from cover.  Her splendid spotted body 
closed the distance in a few bounds.  Chakal made a halfhearted effort 
to escape, but she was on him, striking him with her powerful forearm 
and bearing him down with a deadly tackle.  She pinned him to the 
earth, mouthing his neck in a fake death-grip.
	"Hooray, Momma!" the cubs yelled.
	"Oooh, this is so sexy!" Chakal said with an amused purr.  
"Take me now!"
	"Hush!" she said, trying to sound angry.  "The cubs will hear 
you."
	"I can be the hunter next time?"
	"When the time is right," she said.  "If you're good."
	"Oh, I'm good all right."
	Ixtab began to giggle.  "Stop it!  I mean it this time!"
	The cubs came running and crowded about.  "Is it dead yet?" 
Bol asked, cheerful for the first time since Holcan disappeared.
	"Yes," Ixtab said.  "Now we skin it and eat it."
	The cubs laughingly pounced on their father, tugging his ears, 
pulling his tail, kissing his face and nuzzling him.  Chakal rolled on 
his back and held Bol to his chest with his forepaws, kissing his warm, 
squirming body.  Koh began to bounce on Dad's stomach.  He looked 
up with distressed surprise.  "No, sweetie!  Don't --OOOF-- do that!"
	Just as Kayam had nearly stretched Chakal's tail clear into 
Machoc's territory, Ixtab gathered up the cubs.  She went to recover 
the dead hare, but paused to look over her shoulder  and winked at 
Chakal.  "Was it good for you too?"


CHAPTER 14:  THE ELEMENT OF SURPRISE

	The cubhood games Ixtab passed down to her cubs prepared 
them for life as a hunter.  The wrestling and snapping of their mock 
battles would become deadly serious when they went to find their 
destiny.  It was appropriate that Ixtab also began their first stalking 
lessons with a game.
	"Let's see how good you can stalk!  I'll show you some of my 
techniques--these are secrets I haven't even told your father, but I'm 
going to tell you."
	The cubs watched fascinated as she took up the stalking 
position, demonstrating how quietly she could move when she lifted 
each foot independently and shifted the weight of the body with care.  
"You must be quiet, but you must also be invisible.  Keep your profile 
low.  When you get excited you will be tempted to wave your tail, but 
you must fight that urge and keep your tail low."
	"Like this?" Koh said.  She crouched down, but her head was 
still raised, looking about.
	"Not bad--for a first try.  Remember Koh, hold your head 
down.  Try to move quietly.  Remember that they are expecting you.  
When you stalk real prey, any little mistake will be one too many.  The 
jungle will conceal you if you work with it, otherwise every dry leaf, 
every branch, and every tussock will become your enemy."
	Ixtab went a few lengths ahead and sat.  "I am the prey.  You 
must each try to stalk up to me.  See who can come the closest before I 
hear you."
	"What if we get to you first?" Bol asked.  "Do I tag you?  Are 
you 'it'?"
	"You won't get that far.  Even if you're really good, there's only 
so close you can get before your cover is lost, but you must try to come 
very near.  You will have to run the remaining distance, so you want to 
make that rush count by surprising them from close by."  She smiled.  
"Why don't you go first?"
	Ixtab turned her back to him.  Her sensitive ears could 
practically hear the cubs' excited breaths, but she took their age into 
account.
	"Start now."
	Bol crouched down and began to creep up on his mother.  He 
was walking more quietly than was his custom, and he did not speak, 
but he was no hunter yet.  After only a few steps, Ixtab turned about.  
"Stop!"
	Bol looked at her.  "Come on, Mom!  You COULDN'T have 
heard that!"  
	She smiled.  "Sorry, honey.  You'll get another chance.  Kayam, 
you go next."  
	Kayam was overjoyed.  He looked at Bol and said very 
patronizingly, "Watch me and learn something."
	Kayam took the proper position.  The tip of his tongue stuck 
out and his eyes and ears set with the strength of his concentration.  
Still, his limbs moved stiffly, lacking the deadly grace of a proper 
stalk.  His hind foot rested on a round pebble and before he could stop, 
he stumbled, catching himself to prevent a fall but making a great deal 
of noise.  Ixtab looked about.  "Stop!"
	Koh giggled.  "Bol, watch him and learn something!"  She 
looked at the angry Kayam and added, "You couldn't sneak up on a 
rock!"
	"Mother, did you hear that??" Kayam said, his honor grossly 
insulted.
	"I thought he did rather well," Ixtab said, looking at Koh with a 
slight frown.  "Why don't you see if you can do better?"  Koh was 
mortified, and Ixtab's frown softened.  "Come on, Koh.  You don't 
want the honor of females everywhere to suffer, do you?"
	The challenge had been put to Koh.  There was no backing out 
of it.  Bol and Kayam both glared at her, and she had to perform 
VERY well to save her reputation and make her mother proud.
	Looking at her cubs, Ixtab said softly, "There are times when I 
am asleep and you nurse me so gently that I don't wake up.  Treat the 
earth like a sleeping mother: do not fear it, but walk gently."  Ixtab 
turned about and waited a moment.
	"Start now."
	Koh was tense at first, but she took in a deep breath and let it 
out slowly.  The image of the sleeping mother inspired her.  She 
remembered that when Ixtab breathed in and out, or when she shifted 
in her sleep, Koh would shift with her.  That was the secret--treat the 
earth not as an enemy but as a companion.  She felt the ground with 
her paws the way she would knead her mother's abdomen to make the 
milk flow from her teats.  She caressed its uneven surface with her 
body, and focused her mind on the task at hand.  Her progress was 
slow but steady, and she came nearer and nearer to her prey.
	"Stop!" Ixtab said, turning about.  Koh was less than half a 
length away, and Ixtab gasped.  "Very good!  Koh, I didn't expect…."  
Ixtab glanced at her sons who waited with painful faces for her to 
finish the sentence.  Without realizing it, she had slighted her own 
sons.  
	She thought over what to do, and for a moment she was in an 
agony of indecision.  However, she had a quick jaguar mind, and she 
said, "You all did well enough that you might want to practice on each 
other.  I'll just go rest and leave you here a while.  I think you can 
handle yourselves."
	"Thanks, Mom!" Koh said.  Koh was in sheer ecstasy--Mom 
had recognized her superior talents!  Ah, what great creatures would 
fall before her deadly paws!  She sat for a moment thinking about her 
great destiny, then realizing that more practice would make her even 
better, she started to trot after a butterfly.  She was unaware that 
Kayam was following her with his eyes.
	Koh dropped low, then began to stalk forward at a careful, 
deliberate pace toward the fragile iridescent blue and gold creature.  
What a prize he would make--her first real prey!
	The butterfly was but a length away.  She was ready to close in 
for the kill when….
	WHACK!
	Koh shrieked, sending the butterfly scattering away in a blue 
flicker of lost hope.  The burn on her thigh could only be one thing, 
and she turned to look around with hackles raised and her tail fuzzed 
out at the grinning Kayam.
	"So I couldn't sneak up on a rock, eh Sis?"
	For a moment she considered trying to pummel the daylights 
out of him, but he was clearly larger and a skilled fighter.  She drew in 
a deep breath and after a momentary pause, ran after Ixtab with a 
continuous wailing, "Momma Momma Momma Momma!"
	Things had returned to normal.


CHAPTER 15:  KAYAM'S EXILE

	Later that day, Ixtab saw her cubs returning home from stalking 
practice.  "Well, my mighty hunters, how did you fare?"  She saw the 
look on Kayam's face, a pained look through the dirty, matted fur that 
was more one of revulsion than pain.  The wind brought the first hint 
of his terrible curse to her sensitive nostrils.
	"Oh my gods!" Ixtab shouted.  "What have you done!"
	"Well, Mom, I was hunting this black weasel and…."
	"It was a skunk!  That's close enough!  Go back to the river and 
take a bath--NOW."
	"Oh Mom!  I hate baths!"
	"And I hate skunk odor!  Roll in the dust, then wash it off in 
the water!"
	Ashamed at his failure, compounded by the social handicap he 
had been given, he ran to the water's edge and thrashed in the dust.  
Then he gathered his courage and jumped in.  
	Adding to the discomfort of his horrible odor, he was now wet 
all over.  Splashing about, as long as he dared, he expected the smell 
to leave him.  He stayed in the water for several minutes, but the spray 
was oily and bathing in the river barely helped.  A dust bath followed 
by more swimming helped only a little more.  He rolled in a clump of 
strongly-scented Mirabo flowers in a pathetic attempt to mask what he 
could not wash off.  He only left the flowers crushed and smelling 
even stronger.
	As he sat dejected, wondering if he would smell that way for 
the rest of his life, he heard the chattering of monkeys in a nearby tree.  
"Hey skunk boy!  Beat it!"
	That was it.  He would never be able to hunt game.  No 
creature could miss his telltale odor!  He would starve and eventually 
some scavenger desperate enough would manage to violate his 
miserable carcass.
	"Shove off, Stinky!  Get lost!"
	Kayam looked into the tree.  "Do you know how to get skunk 
smell off?"
	"If we tell you, will you leave?"
	"Sure.  I promise."
	"Well, there's no quick cure," one of the capuchin monkeys 
said.  "It wears off in a few days."
	"Is that it?  Isn't there a better way?"
	"No!  Now get!  Shoo!  Beat it!"
	The monkeys began to toss fruit husks at him.  Dodging the 
rinds, Kayam scrambled away as fast as he could.  "Stupid old skunk!  
The old poop head!  I hate skunks!  I hate monkeys too!"  He made it 
home, then looked at his mother glumly.  "The bath didn't help at all.  
But some monkeys said that it would wear off in a few days."
	"I could have told you that," Ixtab said.  "My sister had that 
problem once.  We couldn't get near her for a six days."
	"Six days??"  Kayam's jaw dropped.  "I have to smell like this 
for six whole days??  Maybe if you groomed me…."  
	She looked at him pitifully.  "No chance of that, sweetie.  Just 
stay over there till I think of something.  And tonight, you sleep on top 
of the roof."
	Kayam languished in his exile.  Bol and Koh wrestled and 
giggled and laughed, looking too happy for their own good while 
Kayam tried to drown his envy and sadness with a marrow bone.  
Every time he heard the soft panting sounds of jaguar laughter, he 
would bite harder on the bone.  Once in a moment of extreme 
jealously he popped the bone open and managed to free the prize 
inside--the fatty, meaty marrow.  He had just gotten used enough to the 
smell to allow his stomach to hold down food.  Still, he didn't enjoy it 
the way he felt he should as he scooped out the delicacy and finished it 
off.

***

	Ixtab did not know how to get skunk odor out of Kayam's fur.  
Chakal had a few hints, but all of them failed.  In her desperation Ixtab 
worked up the nerve to risk an encounter with Machoc.  After all, he 
had lived among the two-legs and was known as a wise old jaguar to 
those who dared talk with him--few ever did.  
With fear and trembling, she passed the twin pillars and called 
out his name.
	"Ixtab?"
She fell before him, rolling on her back.  "Please don't be 
angry!"
"Why should I be angry with you?"  Machoc smiled.  "How 
kind of you to come, Ixtab."
	The jaguaress could scent him, and the terrible memories that 
fragrance evoked made her tremble.  "I need your help."
	"You sure do," the black jaguar purred.  "One of your cubs had 
a run-in with a skunk.  I would say the skunk won."
	"How did you guess??"  She turned and sniffed once.  "Oh, I 
guess it's obvious."
	"You were kind to me once, and I will return the favor.  Take 
the cub under a Oleandra tree and dig into the wet leaf mold.  Work 
the rotting leaves into the cub's fur."
	"Leaf mold?"
	"Yes.  I learned that in the two-leg village.  The smell likes leaf 
mold even better than fur.  It's not a cure, but it's a good treatment."
	"He'll be so happy.  He's been so miserable, you know, and…."
	The black jaguar looked at her.  "Is something wrong?"
	"No, not really."  She followed his curves with her eyes, then 
looked him in the face.  "It's just that one of my cubs was black.  His 
name was Holcan.  If he had lived, he might have looked like you."  
She looked away.  "He didn't live to be very old."
	"He was swept away in the flood, I heard."  Machoc stepped 
before her again.  "I'm very sorry about your son.  Chakal is a dear 
friend, and whomever loves him is welcome here.  If I can ever be of 
help again, please come at once."
	"Thank you."
	"You must repeat the treatment three or four times.  Bathe the 
cub between times to take the bad mold out and put more good mold 
in."

***

	The leaf mold helped Kayam somewhat, but Ixtab could not 
bear the smell long enough to knead the mixture into his hide properly 
more than once.  The remnant on her front feet was almost too much 
for her to bear, and she spent a long time cleaning them on the fresh-
scraped earth.  The monkey's advice would have to do--Kayam had 
gone through one of the painful rites of passage.  There would be 
others.
	That night as the cubs settled down, Kayam had to climb to the 
roof and huddle in misery.  Alone for the first time, it was difficult on 
him.  He had not been nursed in hours, and he could not fall asleep 
because of the hunger that gnawed at his insides.  "Momma!  I'm so 
hungry!  Please come up or I'll starve!"
	Ixtab's mother love won out.  She left her warm spot on the 
floor to climb up and give Kayam his own private feeding session.  
She placed a paw over her nose and gasped while he used one of the 
lowest pair of teats to nurse.
	"Mom," he said, "I'm sorry that I got in with that nasty old…."
	"Darling, don't be cross, but stop talking and nurse!"
	The others, awake, hungry, and impatient yelled, "Yeah, stop 
talking and nurse!!"
	Kayam sighed.  "Mom, I'm so lonely!"
	Ixtab looked at him, her face distorted by her attempts to live 
without breathing air.  "Honey, I love you enough not to let you starve.  
And that's a whole, whole lot.  We'll be together soon, really."
	"I love you too.  But I need to talk now!"
	"Fine.  You stay topside and I'll talk to you."  She started to 
wretch, but headed off the roof and back inside the shelter.  "Can you 
hear me up there?"
	"Loud and clear," he said sullenly.  "Can you smell me down 
there?"
	"Loud and clear, honey."


CHAPTER 16:  UNDER THE ROCKS

	Skunk odor may have been strong, but mother love was even 
stronger.  Ixtab loved Kayam enough regardless of the stench to rub 
leaf litter into his fur.  She treated him no less than five times, and 
with each washing, he became a bit more tolerable.  Finally she could 
give him the luxury of a nap cuddled in her soft, warm fur.
	Indeed, Ixtab's motherly care had been honed to a fine edge 
since the loss of Holcan.  For a time she was afraid to let the cubs out 
of her sight, even to relieve themselves in privacy.  However, Ixtab 
knew that cubs required certain freedoms, and with time she slowly 
relaxed her tight grip, allowing her children to roam about near the 
abandoned temple, but no further.
	“When I call you, I want you standing in front of me before I 
finish your name, understand?”  
	They answered her with sincere nods all around, and she was 
content.  The system seemed to work well; if she had to call a second 
time, she might scowl, but a third call would earn a hard cuff and a 
firm lecture.
	Then a time came when the cubs could not roam at all.  Brief 
daily rains brought the cubs back indoors, but once the rain hung in 
gray sheets outside for several days in succession, leaving the cubs 
stranded inside.  Kayam and Bol wrestled and played games, but Koh 
huddled miserably against her mother and griped about the rain.
	"Will it EVER stop raining?" Koh asked.
	"Of course it will.  And don't ask me when, this time.  The 
answer is still, 'I don't know.'"  
	On one of those rainy evenings, Ixtab amused the cubs with a 
story while waiting for Chakal to return.  It was her turn to go hunting, 
and she looked forward to getting out and roaming the cool greenness 
of the jungle, rain or no.
	"Three days the mighty huntress stalked the beast," Ixtab said.  
"Three days of tiresome but determined effort.  Three days the beast 
eluded her despite its wound.  Then she rushed it.  Metobixal could 
nearly smell its blood!  Metobixal could nearly savor the warm meat 
within her jaws!  Then suddenly the beast with a great spring…."
	At that moment a ray of sunshine broke through the clouds.  
Kayam shouted, “Momma, look!  It stopped raining!  Can we go out 
and play now?”
	A crease furrowed Ixtab’s brow.  “It’s not polite to interrupt, 
son.  You'll never know how we got the Milky Way.  Besides, I’m just 
getting to the good part.”
	Kayam wilted visibly.  “I’m sorry Momma.”
	Ixtab rolled her eyes and laughed softly at the picture of pure 
misery he displayed.  “Oh all right, you little scamp!”  She leaned over 
and kissed the top of his head.  “Go ahead...all of you just remember to 
stick close by, understand?”
	The cubs tossed a chorus of “Yes ma’am!” at her and 
scampered outside, clambering carefully down the slick stonework to 
the jungle floor below.  
	Bol batted playfully at Koh and drew her into a hectic game of 
tag as Kayam sniffed about.  Then Bol padded away towards the far 
corner of the crumbling temple.
	Koh watched him curiously.  “Where ya goin’?”
	“C’mon, I’ll show you.”  Kayam grinned over his shoulder.  
“Bol, you come too.  I found the neatest place.  You just gotta see 
this.”
	Bol immediately ceased flailing at Koh and perked up his ears; 
whenever Kayam uttered that phrase, there was always something 
worth seeing.  The three cubs meandered along the northern face of 
the temple, one or another pausing now and again to sniff something 
interesting before trotting hurriedly to catch up.
	Kayam turned and bolted into the jungle depths.
	"Hey, you're not supposed to be in there!" Koh shouted.
	"Oh don't be such a drag!  Look, Koh, there are some times in 
life when you gotta bend the rules, or you're not living, you're just 
existing."
	It was a very catchy phrase--one he probably overheard from 
Chakal who probably heard it from Machoc.  It pricked Koh's sense of 
fun, and she reluctantly turned from the temple square and followed 
her brother into the trees.  "Make it quick.  I don't want Mom to find 
out."
	"It won't take long, and hey, since when did you start wanting 
Mom not to find out?"
	The cubs finally arrived at a small creek.  A current of 
rainwater splashed down the center, but there were several stones 
sitting about dry.
	"What's so neat about this?" Bol asked.
	Kayam turned about and grinned, the wide wonderful grin of a 
magician about to unveil his masterpiece.  “I found this place a few 
days ago, but I kept it a secret."
	"Why?" Bol asked.  "It's just a pile of rocks."
	"Just a pile of rocks?  Watch this.  I mean...this is REALLY 
cool!”  As the others craned forward, he hunched over a small flat 
rock.  Extending his tiny claws, Kayam gripped the edge of the rock, 
paused a moment for effect, then flipped it over.
	Immediately a swarm of beetles erupted from underneath, 
scattering toward the darkness of the forest loam.  Koh screeched with 
revulsion and backpedaled madly, tripping over Bol and knocking him 
to the ground.  Bol laughed delightedly and sprang up.  “AWESOME!”
	Kayam grinned.  “I TOLD you it was cool!  C’mon, you guys 
try it!”
	Bol quickly found a promising stone, flipping it over and 
jumping away....then he frowned as nothing appeared.  “Hey!”
	“Not that little stuff!" Kayam said.  "You gotta turn over the 
big ones!”  
	Koh moved toward a large flat rock and pulled.  “Whoa!  
Lookit, guys!”
	The others scampered over to see Koh's discovery.  Bol peered 
at the odd creature Koh had uncovered and grinned.  “Now THAT is a 
cool bug.”
	“I know," Koh said.  "Check out it’s tail...I can’t hold mine like 
that.”  Koh peered back over his shoulder and arched her tail as high 
as it would go, but it stubbornly refused to cooperate, flopping to one 
side or the other.  She shrugged and copied as best she could, growling 
playfully and flailing up in the air with her forepaws, mimicking the 
creature's movements as the other cubs watched, giggling.
	"Koh's a bug!" Bol said, laughing.
	“Look at its paws," Kayam said.  "I bet it's a kind of crayfish.  I 
bet it's going to pinch you."
	The creature had raised its claws and began to twitch its tail.  
Koh looked at the upraised pincers and laughed.  "The bug thinks it 
can fight ME!  I'll say this much--it's brave."
	"I'm betting on the bug," Bol said with a snicker.  "What do you 
think, Kayam?"
	"I don't know.  It looks like a draw."
	Koh joined in the fun.  "Come on bug--do your worst!"  She 
began to prod at it, laughing as it moved about and swung its pincers.  
The scorpion began to wave its tail threateningly.
	Bol and Kayam came close.  "Take it down, Koh!  Mighty 
huntress of the jungle!"
	"If I kill it, you have to eat it," Koh said.
	"Eew!  Gross!"
	Koh flailed at the scorpion with her paws, shifting slightly as it 
moved.  “Hold still, you stupid bug!”  It skittered backwards, and she 
pawed at it in an attempt to stop it.  Abruptly, Koh jerked her paw 
back with a cry.  “DAMN!  It stung me!”
	Kayam gaped at her in astonishment.  “Awwwww!  You said a 
bad word! Now it’s MY turn to tell Momma on you!”
	Bol snickered.  “Momma’s gonna cuff you good!”
	“Oh shut up!”  Koh snapped, lifting a paw to lick it gingerly.  
“Stupid bugs.  This game isn’t any fun anymore.  I wanna go hear the 
rest of the story.”
	“All right, all right.  Be that way....” Kayam said with 
annoyance.  He bounded back along the trail, the others following him 
as they headed back towards the front of the temple.  
	Koh trailed behind in last place.  Mom would be upset.  She 
was sure to see the blood and ask about it, and sure as the sun rose in 
the east Kayam would tell what she said--with a witness to back him 
up.
	She paused to lick her paw.  The sting hurt and gave her a 
slight limp, and a strange tingling began to spread up her forearm.
	"Look, Bol, Kayam, maybe if you don't tell Mom about what I 
said, I can give you something.
	"Yeah right," Kayam said.  "What can you give me that would 
be worth the look on Mom's face when I tell??"
	"Well you're always getting into trouble.  Maybe I could be 
quiet about it the next time, OK?"
	"The next THREE times," Kayam said.
	"You're a dirty little cheat!" Koh shouted, licking her paw 
again.
	"Think fast!  In a minute the price goes up to four times!"
	"All right!  You win!"
	Kayam laughed.  "I always do."
	The brothers gamboled off, trying to reach home before Mom 
got angry.  Koh began to stumble after them, upset that she was 
showing a limp.  Even if Kayam didn't tell, Ixtab would wonder where 
she got that sting and start asking questions.  She needed a good story 
and she needed it quickly.
	Kayam and Bol had left Koh way behind.  “Hey, guys" Koh 
cried, "wait for me!”  Padding around a jutting rock, she stumbled for 
a moment, then paused to shake the dirt from her fur.  It had evidently 
become cloudy again while they were playing; Bol was barely visible 
on the path ahead.  “C’mon, guys, wait up!”
	Kayam’s voice rang out from somewhere ahead.  “Oh quit 
whining and come on...we can’t wait all day.  Besides, if Mom calls 
for us and we don't hear, you know what she'll do.”
	Koh padded forward and stumbled again, losing her balance 
and thumping to the jungle floor with a grunt.  Her teeth clicked 
together painfully and she stayed there, slumped on her forepaws with 
her rump upright for a moment before her rear legs collapsed under 
her.  She dragged herself forward a few inches, eyes swimming with 
tears as she sought for any sign of her brothers or sister.  “Guys?”  Her 
voice shook and she began to sob.  “Guys?!  Don’t leave me, 
PLEASE!!”
	Bol skidded to a halt and looked back to see his sister lying on 
the ground behind them, a small furry tangle of limbs lying in a patch 
of sunlight.  “Koh?  Koh, what is it?”
	Kayam paused and looked round at the cry, a frown on his 
face.  "Oh this is just great!  What's wrong NOW?"
	Koh lay in a small gathering of leaves, her sides heaving 
unevenly as she looked up at them.  “I feel strange,”  she gasped.  "I 
gotta get home before sundown.  It's getting dark fast."
	"But Koh, it's not getting dark!"  Kayam looked up and saw the 
sun peeking at him through a small hole in the jungle canopy.  He 
squinted his eyes.  "Something's wrong!"  He looked back at her and 
saw her shiver.  “Bol, go get Mom, quick!  GO!”

***

 	Bol could not look Ixtab in the eyes.  After enduring the hell of 
delivering bad news, he was having to show his Mom the details of the 
trip they had hidden from her.  The path that Bol had followed so 
easily when he was happy and mischievous was hard to find when he 
was nervous and afraid.  "She was here somewhere, Mom."
	"Well you had BETTER find her!" Ixtab growled.  "Koh!  
Kayam!  Answer me!"
	"Over here, Momma!"
	Kayam's voice sounded worried and desperate.  Ixtab plunged 
through the trackless jungle toward the sound, Bol struggling to keep 
up with her.  "You KNOW I told you to stay nearby!  Just you WAIT 
till I get you home!"  She gripped Bol by the nape of the neck so she 
could run swiftly.
	Ixtab found Kayam bent over a small, helpless cub.  She put 
Bol down and went to her daughter.  “Koh?  What is it, honey?  
Momma’s here.”  The jaguaress bent forward, sniffing, and nuzzled 
her daughter’s cheek.
	"It hurts," she weakly replied.  "My leg…."
	One of Koh's forelegs was swelling alarmingly.  Ixtab sniffed 
of it gently, frightened by the heat she felt coming from the skin.  She 
tried to lick the sting to clean the area but Koh yelped and squirmed.
	"I'm sorry," Ixtab said, kissing Koh's face.
	"I'm tired," Koh said.
	"All right, sweetheart.  You just rest by me.  Momma's here."  
She lay down and drew the tiny, weak cub to her side.
	Chakal came pushing through the brush.  "What happened 
here?"
	Ixtab said, "Koh's had a little accident."
	Bol sniffled miserably and wiped his face with a paw.  “She 
was playing with this bug that crawled out from under a rock and it bit 
her.”
	“What was she doing looking under rocks?”
	Silence hung in the air, accusingly.
	“Well??”
	Suddenly Kayam bolted, darting past a startled Chakal and 
sprinting to a nearby tree.  The cub leaped nimbly up and pulled 
himself up to a branch some fifteen feet overhead, where he lay down, 
crying into his forepaws.
	“Kayam!  Come down here!”  Chakal peered up at him.  “What 
do you know about this?”
	“No!  You’ll cuff me!”
	“No I won’t.”
	The cub peered down at him, eyes bright.  “You promise?”
	“Of course I do.”  Chakal stood back.  “Come on down, son.”
	Kayam made his way back down the trunk slowly, leaping to 
the ground and trudging over to sit down in front of his father.  Chakal 
nuzzled him reassuringly and licked his ear.  “Come on, son.  Tell me 
what happened.”
	Kayam looked up slowly, tears spilling freely from his eyes as 
he began to cry.  “It’s all my fault!  I showed her how to flip rocks.”  
His jaw trembled.  "I'm so sorry!"
	Ixtab said, "Chakal, take them away for a moment.  We need to 
be alone."

***

	Kayam trailed Chakal and Bol back to the temple.  He 
remained a great distance behind, a sense of dread making his ears and 
tail hang limply as he trudged along.  He mounted the stairs of the 
stone pyramid with a pounding heart--not from the exertion but from 
the fear of being cuffed within an inch of his life.
	Chakal sat quietly and licked his forepaws, then used them to 
groom the fur on his face.  Kayam quietly crept past him and curled up 
quietly in a dark corner to avoid being noticed.
	"Kayam, I'd like a word with you."
	"Yes sir."
	Kayam crept over with shaking limbs.  He folded down his 
forelegs leaving his rump standing at attention.  His teeth gritted a