9" x 12" color pencil on Smooth Bristol

Yeah, couldn't help myself and wrote another little narrative.

No matter how much he offered, his Sherpa guide would take him no further. Few people returned from the mountainous region he wished to go. He was told that over and over. So they set up a base camp where they were and he would continue on his own in the morning. It was suppose to be just a half day hike to the top of the ridge that overlooked the home range of his prey. Not really prey as he hunted with a camera instead of a gun. He was a cameraman and rather well known in the art of wildlife photography but he really wanted to make a big name for himself. This he could do by getting the first truly clear, identifiable shots of one of the most elusive animals on the planet, the legendary snow cat. This species was in the same category as Bigfoot and the Yeti. Some said the Yeti and the Snow Cats were one and the same but most of his colleagues just laughed at the idea of his current quest. But the Sherpa guide, when asked directly about the existence of the snow cats, did neither naysay nor affirm its existence but just related stories from his peoples legends. He could tell though, that the guide was holding back something and behind his words, he could sense fear in just the mentioning of the creatures.

It was definitely more than a half day hike, but that was to be expected in that he was hauling camp gear and supplies that was suppose to last him three or four days. Plus his camera equipment, that was a load of its own. But he was nearly to the top of the ridge and there was over two hours left of sunlight so he would have no problem finding a good observation point and get camp set up before it got dark.

The ridge he was about to crest was almost knife edged at that point, dropping downward again at a steep angle almost immediately on the other side. The last few meters was the steepest of the whole trek from basecamp and he had to go it on hands and knees. The footing was firm though there was just a bit of loose rock and he made it to the top in no time and was able to stand up as there was a reasonably flat area for a ways in each direction. It was late Summer and all but traces of snow had melted off, leaving a ground mostly covered by lichen and what grasses that would grow at these heights. He hadn’t taken much of a look around him yet, having to catch his breath first at this altitude. He finally glanced left and right along the ridge line to see if there was any living thing visible but a movement near the pile of rocks directly in front of him drew his full attention. It took a moment for his brain to interpret what he was seeing and finally realized that it wasn’t something near the rocks but was the rocks themselves that were moving. Then the image before him resolved further and he saw… Her! It had been lying down but was now raising its upper body off the ground slowly, and while doing so, turned its head and looked directly at him over its shoulder. It was a snow leopard… but not… quite, as it was now plain to see that this creature was designed for bipedal locomotion. He dared not move a muscle, fearing that he’d scare it away. She too had almost paused completely and seemed to be studying him as he was now starting to study her. “Oh shit, oh shit”, he thought, “Why couldn’t I have had any kind of camera that was easy to get to?”
Her! Yes, a snow leopard but with the body form of a human woman. Muscular though, visible even beneath the thick fur but well curved also and sporting ample and equally furry breasts. He just glimpsed a hint of pink nipple when he glanced up at her face and finally made direct and prolonged eye contact. A shiver shot through his body and his breath left him. Never had he seen anything so exquisite and he had a feeling then of seeing something that was created by and reserved solely for the eyes of the ancient gods.

Kayeelah had been hunting that afternoon and had spotted a herd of goats moving toward her position. They were grazing as they went and wouldn’t be at the prime ambush spot for some while so she decided to lay down for a bit and rest. It was a rather warm day for this altitude and she was quite enjoying the respite when a small fall of rocks, close by, brought her to attention. The sound came from directly behind her and she started to raise herself up and looked back to see what might have caused the disturbance.
She paused in mid motion at the sight. A human and but just a short spring away! She’d never live it down if any of her tribe found out how easily he had come so close to her before she realized it. She sighed deeply and resumed her slow rise from the ground, resolve set for what she now must do. “Hmm, well a self serving dinner is a good thing I suppose.” She thought.
She made it to her feet, still moving slowly and carefully so not to frighten him and then have to chase him down. She looked him up and down then and determined that he had no weapons and probably posed little threat. Steeling herself for the leap, she….. Then she caught his scent for the first time. She had scented humans a number of times over the years and they all had been about the same but this time there was something different, something more.
Kayeelah then recognized that extra scent but it was something she knew only from the males of her kind… and only during mating season. The human standing before her may not have known it himself at the time, so entranced he was, but he was very, very… aroused.

Karshee had had no luck hunting that day and headed back toward the village. The sun had just set but it was still quite light out so she thought to go by Kayeelah’s favored hunting spot to see if she had taken down anything. She heard noise up ahead and approached quietly. She didn’t really understand what she was hearing and she slowly made her way around a small rock formation and beheld the scene before her. Yes, Kayeelah had certainly taken down… some thing… and she watched for a time before she thought of something meaningful to say to her tribemate.
Kayeelah was Karshee’s elder by four years but she was also her best friend and kind of looked up to her as a big sister. But she just had to say it.
So, in a mock scolding voice, she said, “Kay! Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to play with your food?”