A knock on the door made them both look up.
"What's this? Nobody ever knocks here." Al said, getting up from the bed. He put his pants back on and headed for the door. When he opened it, a lioness was standing in front of him.
"I thought I was wrong... But it's true. You're still alive." Said the lioness.
"Leonora. Long time no see." Al said scratching the back of his head.
Leonora sniffed at him briefly: "Oh... did I interrupt you at something?"
She knew immediately from his smell what he had been up to a short time before.
Al looked away, embarrassed: "What do you want?"
"Oh, I thought maybe we could hunt together again, like we used to." Leonora said.
"Not today...I'm busy." Al said. Then he smelled Wendy coming up behind him.
"Oh, so it's true. Our king got himself a toy." Leonora said, laughing, "There's no hiding it, you totally smell like human."
She approached Wendy: "Don't be so naive and think he's like you. Sooner or later his instincts will take over and then you're nothing to him but a meal."
Then Leonora turned and left the house. Wendy stared after her in shock. Was she really that naive?
"Wendy? Hey, don't worry. I'll do what I can to keep you out of harm's way." Alkatrash said.
"After all, I'm not staying here forever anyway..." She said bitterly and took the letter from the embassy that Al had received.
Alkatrash stared at Wendy, who turned away and sat back down on the sofa. She opened the letter and read it with an unhappy expression.
Rule or not... it's better if I go. Al is right. Our relationship is unnatural. He should do these things with his own kind, not with a human. He couldn't hurt Leonora with his claws and teeth as easily as me... Wendy thought.
"Maybe," he said and stepped up to her and got on his knees in front of her to be at eye level with her, "but you know... I'm irretrievably bound to you. That won't change either, if you live on the other side."
Wendy looked at Al with sad eyes, "Maybe you're right."
Al got up and said, "I'll fix you something to eat."
He went into the kitchenette and started cooking a piece of meat on the fire. When it was ready, he handed it to Wendy on a plate with a knife and fork.
"Silverware?" Wendy asked in surprise.
"Well, you're not supposed to turn into an animal while you're here." Al said with a shrug. Wendy grinned and started to eat. Alkatrash watched her smiling, she hadn't even been here a week but it seemed like forever. He was surprised that she was seriously considering leaving him soon. His heart started racing and Al felt something coming up. He looked out the window and saw the full moon rising and that's when he realized his heart wasn't racing with concern that Wendy would leave him. A growl escaped his throat. He braced himself against the wall. That can't be... Am I so wrong? Is it full moon today? thought Al confused.
Wendy heard Alkatrash breathing heavily. She got up and approached him.
"Alkatrash? Are you okay?" she asked.
"Don't get too close." He growled.
Wendy stopped short when she heard his claws stretch out.
"I have to get out!" he growled, rushing out of the house.
Wendy looked at him confused at first, but when she saw the full moon rising, she realized Alkatrash had been wrong. He had been so in control yesterday because the full moon had not yet reached its highest point yesterday. But today it did.
Al rushed into the adjoining room and padlocked the door. He had previously thrown the key out onto the grass. Then, while his mind was still a little active, he began chaining himself by the arms and neck.
After half an hour, Wendy heard a dark meow from outside. She recognized this sound from documentaries she had seen about lions. That was the lions' mating call. It sounded so terribly tortured to her that Wendy couldn't take it and eventually left the house. She walked towards the room where Al had chained himself. The clink of the chains mingled between his shouts. She stopped in front of the door, which was sealed with chains and a heavy padlock.
But Wendy's smell had already revealed her to him: "Go back into the house!" Roared Alkatrash.
Wendy jumped in shock: "But... you seem to be suffering so much..."
"You can't help me." Al growled and she heard the chains rustle.
