The sparse glow of subdued sunlight filtered through the opening of the Baldskin’s cave and Salim crowded to the bars of his prison to see today's visitor.

Today was different, for never before had the lynx seen this Baldskin. It wasn't one of the burly males or the only female in the group with the ugly face. It was a strange figure sneaking into the chamber. Salim could smell the fear emanating from it as its head fur barely reached its shoulders, occasionally breaking through the glimmer of light. It seemed restless and agitated, for it could hardly stand still for a moment, constantly stepping from one foot to the other.

The Baldskin whispered something, so quietly that Salim almost had to prick up his ears, something that normally never happened with such creatures.

A second figure blocked out the light for a few heartbeats and then stepped into the room. The two seemed to communicate briefly, but then they moved into action. They stood by some of the cages.

Salim could see the face bent towards him in a distorted and perhaps somewhat fearful grimace, tentatively shaking the bars that blocked its exit from the box. The lynx backed away to let the Baldskin do whatever it was it was doing.

"Alicia?", he grumbled, "What are they doing?" He pressed himself against the other end of the cage, trembling slightly. He wasn't comfortable with what these creatures were doing there, but somehow, he couldn't help but trust them.

He briefly heard a movement on his ceiling, which all too clearly indicated Alicia. "I don't know. That's never happened before," she mewed excitedly, and he heard her pacing restlessly.

By now, the Baldskin in front of him had given up trying to open the gate with brute force. Salim knew it could have saved itself the trouble. What did this creature think it was doing just crouching? He had struggled against the bars often enough, but to no avail. He certainly wouldn't still be here if this had worked, and his cage had been open.

These Baldskins actually seemed to hope that they could free them. He had only seen very few Baldskins who went against their own species, but these two seemed to be very out of line.

"They can't get these boxes open, Salim", Alicia said somewhat thoughtfully from above and he heard the sound of her claws scratching the bars. But that wouldn't help the kitten either.

Suddenly, the Baldskin detached itself from its cage and had a brief conversation with the second one in the room before they left the cave together. Salim frowned, confused and extremely disappointed. Had he been so wrong about them? Were they just going to leave them here after all? That couldn't be true. Restless, the lynx returned to the bars and growled softly. He waited for several minutes with a glimmer of gentle hope, which gradually faded. He should not have placed any hope in them, he now realized. If you trusted Baldskins, you could only be disappointed. His growling grew louder for a moment, until Alicia complained.

"Stop it already, Salim!"

Sighing, he lay back down on the uncomfortably hard floor. If they had freed him, he might already be lying on fresh grass, on his beloved earth. He had already smelled the lush green, tasted rabbit meat between his teeth and experienced the wonderful scent of the air. But Baldskins were not the ones you could put the most trust in. Not at all, and he had experienced that for himself once again.

"They're not coming back, are they?", said one of the newer lynxes, whose name Salim had already forgotten. In response to his question, he only received disgruntled snorts and murmurs that barely seemed to calm down. Apparently, Salim had not been the only one who had seen a future and freedom in the Baldskins.

If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

And then, all of a sudden, it became quiet in the cave. Lynxes fell silent and paused in their feeble movements, each of them staring in the direction of the light.

They had come back. The two Baldskins had returned and were standing in the entrance to the cave, but immediately went to the cage doors.

Salim was again one of the first to be handled by the figures. A strangely shaped silver stick with a branched curve at the end was pulled out of their colorful fur and then inserted into a small box attached to the bars. A soft, barely perceptible click sounded and the exit of the cage swung open after a short squeak.

Salim stared back and forth between the opening and the creature for a few heartbeats. It had freed him. He immediately retracted all the thoughts he had ever had about these creatures and a smile spread across his face.

He had jumped out of his prison in one leap, but landed awkwardly on his paws. He could barely walk and his legs felt as if hundreds of stones had been tied to them. The long time in this box had clearly sapped his strength and muscles.

"Alicia! I'm free!", he shouted with joy as several lynxes dodged him and sprinted out into the open. "Alicia! Hurry up!", he shouted impatiently, tilting his head back to see if she would make it. She had been here much longer than he had, even if she had gotten some exercise.

And when the Baldskin stepped aside to let the kitten jump out of its cage, Salim held his breath. At first, only a small and brown nose appeared, but then the little one's whole body became visible.

The bones stood out clearly under the thin fur, and hardly any muscles seemed to be slumbering under her skin. Her fur was dull and matted, though the lynx was sure it could shine like no other. Hardly any spots adorned her fur, but they would come with age. At least Salim hoped so, because Alicia didn't look healthy. And yet, he was so glad that he could finally see and admire her.

The kitten came to a halt on the ground just a few mouse-bodies away from him, while her thin little legs buckled under the poor lynxess. "Salim, wait for me!", her high-pitched little voice called, and Salim grabbed the lynxess by the fur on her neck.

"I'll take you with me”, the lynx growled through the fur, lifting Alicia up and carrying her as fast as he could out of the cave and into the forest that opened up in front of them.

~

Salim could still remember exactly how he ran into the forest, followed by his fellow prisoners. He could feel the sensation of his heavy and shaky legs and the bony body of Alicia beating against his chest. At the time, he hardly knew what to do next or how he would even survive. Only the joy of regaining his freedom had prevailed and together they had made it.

He had taught Alicia how to hunt as best he could, had taught her defense tactics, and then... And then she had left him. Not how he would have liked her to leave him, but how he had found her. Dead.

Salim involuntarily smelled her blood and saw her lifeless body in front of him. These kittens here reminded him so much of her. Just as innocent and young. Someone, perhaps a lynx, had killed his little Alicia. With a single bite to the throat, the death bite in the realm of the lynx. Like a piece of prey, the kitten had had to leave the earth.

After performing the death ritual, he had immediately left his former territory and vowed to do the same to the person who had killed Alicia.