I sit, on a tree limb. The tree limb I always sit on. I don’t know why. Something about it…..

It makes me feel safe, somehow. Like him….

Tygra…..

No! Forget about Tygra. He is a Thundercat, the enemy.

But do I love him?

How could I? He is the enemy! That much is clear.

Tygra…..

Why does he keep preying on my mind?! He is a Thundercat, one of the destroyers of my people!

You know that’s not true.

Shut up. I don’t need to listen to this.

You love him.

No! I don’t love him! I never have loved him, I never will.

Stop lying to yourself.

Tygra is the enemy! I cannot love him! I will not love him! I don’t love him!

The wind blows. It’s cold….so cold. I wrap my cloak tightly around myself for warmth.

Warmth…..

Like his arms wrapping around me….

Warmth…..

His arms, pulling me towards him….

Warmth…..

His face, bending down to kiss me…..

No! No, no, no, no!

You love him. You know that.

Stop that! I don’t love him!

You love him….

No!

You love him….

No! I don’t love him, he is a Thundercat, a Tiger….No!

What does being a Tiger have to do with anything?

I am a Black Leopard, we don’t marry out of our race.

You are the only Black Leopard, the only Leopard of any kind, on this planet, perhaps in all the galaxy.

Why should I care? Love means nothing to me.

Pardak would say differently. And Vision.

Pardak….. Vision….. They’re both dead, and it’s my fault….I could have saved them……

Is that why you keep saying you don’t love Tygra? Because you don’t want him to get hurt, or killed?

I don’t love Tygra. Do you hear me, I don’t love Tygra!

Give it up, Leona. It’s obvious you love him. Everyone knows it but you. So why don’t you admit it, hmm?

Shut up. Just…..shut up. It doesn’t make any sense to love him. I could kill him, you know.

You could. But you won’t. You can’t. Because you love him.

For the last time, I don’t love him! I should march over to Cats Lair right now and slice his throat!

The last time you tried to break into Cats Lair you got caught and ended up in a coma.

I’ll be more careful this time. I won’t get caught.

You love him, Leona….

We’re back to that, hmm? No!

You love him, Leona….

I shake my head. I don’t love him….do I?

That’s right. You love him.

No! No, I don’t love him. If I have any emotions right now, they are anger and hatred!

And fear. You forgot fear.

Fear? Of what? I’m not afraid.

You’re more afraid than you know. Afraid that you’ll hurt Tygra somehow.

No!

You’re in serious denial, Leona. But still, you know that every man you loved died.

No! No! No….Fine, yes. Leo died. Pardak died. But I couldn’t have prevented that. I tried! I did! A tear trickles down my cheek, and I wipe it away.

Go to him, Leona. But don’t slice his throat.

I will stay right here! I have been on my own for almost half my life, and I will be fine for the rest of it!

You would accept Pardak if he was here.

Well….yes. But Pardak is dead.

Leona. You. Love. Him.

Yes, I love Pardak. And I miss him. He’s dead, and I’ve accepted that fact. But I will always love him.

Tygra. You love Tygra.

No! I don’t love Tygra! Tygra could drop dead right now, and I couldn’t care less!

One word: Denial.

I sigh. Mental battles will get me nowhere. Maybe I should get some sleep… But after the past week, I’m not sure I want to.

Relax. Cassiopeia is out of commission. So is Aquila.

Yes….

Tygra……

No! Don’t think about Tygra. Why is it I feel this way?

This—this love, it’s unreasonable. Some abide by reason, I‘m not one of them, but still…why is it this way? That I fall for an enemy?

That’s not important. Think about it in the morning.

For once, my subconscious is correct. Sleep….

I slip off the branch and begin walking towards my small home. I go inside, and settle down on my bed. As I close my eyes, an old Thunderan saying pops into my head.

The Heart has reasons which Reason does not know.