Chapter 149

Once I found a place to roll, I didn’t hesitate: I threw myself on the ground and buried my head in a mound of snow, digging with my nails into the frozen forest floor until the cold earth split between my fingers. I got dirty, rolling on my chest and back and dragging my face against the rough dark mattress, until I no longer felt like vomiting. It was a delight to be able to breathe fresh air once again; it was bearable to be around me. After burying the dead feline and leaving a mark to return to look for it when everything was over, we took refuge again in the penetrating blackness of the forest. We entrusted safety to the sensitive nocturnal eyes of the lions, and secondarily, to our noses.

I didn’t like the patience with which the cats were taking things, but we had to work together. Kabir was standing at the edge of my vision, seeming to keep watch. Sifah’s face, illuminated by the screen of her mobile phone, was much closer. Kaylee stood guard next to me, while my fath