Grouse Thicket [m] fear the lioness, paint her face black and golden

He watched the spectacle from afar, but was drawn closer by the scent of the woman and the abundance of voices; and when he was near enough, Arkadiy made himself known by emerging and strutting closer.

The other man had dismounted and so the dog skulked in the periphery as if to await a turn, snuffling pig-like through the greenery underheel and letting his sickle-tail give cursory wags, all to tell these wild things he was no threat; and also, so interested.

There was a hitch to his step, though. A bruising to his haunches and dried blood across his chest, which he tried to hide.