Temih grumbled to herself that the only thing the rest of the tribe really wanted her to do, was bear offspring. As many as possible.

Not that she had any desire to do so. She was a warrior and a powerful witch - she liked the Human word for her powers. She wanted to be known as the Kin Witch, or something.

Not "mommy". Perhaps some day, sure. But right now? Her priorities were on making the tribe safe in their mountain hideaway, and keeping track of the errant members when they got rowdy.

A gentle nudge from her mind, or perhaps a not-so-gentle energy blast to the back of the head, either would do just as well as a clearing of her throat in most meetings.

Her tail moved through the air and she watched several of the Tribe as they argued over who'd killed the beast they were eating. It wasn't important, and no one really cared once their bellies were full.

They weren't like the pack-wolves, or the lionkin. They didn't really have much structure to their meal time. As long as everyone got to eat, they were happy. Of course, as long as Temih was there they'd always offer her the first juicy bits.

As such, she'd already had her fill. Qodara and Iryudyo went back and forth - I got it's head, no, I got it's neck.

"Enough," Temih grumbled, and stood to leave.

The cavern they resided in for the moment was a secure base of operations, but it was nothing like the star ports where they'd all traveled through. Getting to Planet Twenty was like...

Temih remembered the trip, though she was extremely young when she was sent away. Her parents had no powers, she was the only one in her close family that did. When they entered the vacuum of space, Temih's mind almost broke. It was the steady voice and purring tones of Omaciyu that kept her sane. When they arrived to Planet 20, Temih homed in on the others of their type.

Within days, a three year old child and her teenaged guardian had assembled half the Twelve. Temih's mind-seeking ability faded over time, and she was glad. What kind of hell it was, to wake knowing that someone nearby had just been slaughtered?

Or was it just a beast? She could hardly tell the difference at first, between the PreyKin and the wild animals. Slowly, she distinguished between animal and person - then individuals. Now, she could still spot a Powered Kin from miles away, but apart from that, she had to concentrate to get any distinguishing information.

She could use this, Oma reminded her, when the Humans came. She could spot the ones with the weaker willpower, the ones with fears, the ones they could use against their own kind - just like they wanted to use Twelve and One against the rest of the Kin.

Right now, Temih only wanted to use her feet to get her out of the cave. The bickering went on, without her.

Outside, the sun had begun to set and was casting a brilliant bronze glow over the whole countryside. She watched it for a number of minutes, and then went to her own den for privacy.

There, she took out one of her many bladed weapons. The Warthog Kin would trade what they made, and as long as the Cheetah Kin didn't kill their kind with the weapons forged in their own halls, they were happy. Polishing the blade made Temih calm and focused her energy.

She felt one of the PreyKin nearby, not injured and not in distress. Curious, Temih put her knife down and set it aside. "Hello?" She called.

She heard a coarse voice, "Temih - are you home?" It was one of the local bird Kin, a tall legged and rather ugly female Stork. She may have the looks of a boot on a bad day, but Temih's golden eyes brightened when she saw her visitor.

"What brings you here, this evening?" Temih asked.

Bol, the Stork, chuckled. "The fish are jumping out of the streams, and your people still don't bother to net for them. Our tribe has had a good day indeed."

"Oh, we've got our own reasons for not fishing, Bol," Temih laughed, but surpressed a bit of a shudder. The thought of entering the water for anything other than a drink or a brief cleansing bath was... Distressing. Cheetahs didn't swim at all, and she had never bothered trying to get over that particular fear. "But I'm glad your people are full and happy tonight."

They spoke at length, of nothing in particular. The bird Kin couldn't fly like their animal predecessors, but they were smart and enjoyed their thumbs. Temih couldn't bear watching them eat, though. They gulp-gulped back throat fulls of meat...

Finally, though, Temih and Bol spoke of her tribe. "There is only the one of you," Bol said, sadly. "I wonder why that is?"

Temih shrugged, "my family wasn't like me either. Maybe I'm unique."

"But all the males are powered," Bol pondered. "I wonder if it is just something about being a male or being the right gender."

Temih snorted out a laugh. "Did you know they want me to choose one of them, next week. Next week!" She leaned back onto her furred couch. "I hardly even want to choose among them, and they want to vye for me so suddenly."

"Surely there is one of them good enough for you," Bol commented. "They are all fine males, your tribe prospers."

Temih sighed again. "Yes, I know. They are, actually. Handsome and strong and... Well, arrogant. That's the problem with them. They're all boys at heart. You know that the cheetah doesn't usually hang out like this, in tribes, except for the young males. We women are left alone."

"You want to be alone?" Bol said, leaning her beak down and making a strange face.

"Not from you, but... the guys are my friends. My defenders... I don't look at them in the same way as they'd like."

"What about that tall one? The light colored one?"

"Who, Iryudyo? He's far too scary..." Temih said. "Nice feet though."

That made Bol pause. "Did you say feet?"

Temih nodded, and sipped at some water from the bowl nearby.

"What do feet have to do with anything? And how are they any nicer than other Kin?"

Temih leaned in, and said, "Well, Omaciyu is very fine, of course, he's quite smart and all that. But he's got huge feet! Have you ever looked at them?"

"He's the one who wears that clever turban?"

"Um hum," Temih said. "His feet are just enormous."

"And this is somehow preventing you from ... mating with him?" Bol trailed off, unsure that her friend wasn't just completely insane. The weather had been quite hot, maybe her brain was fried.

"Well, what would the kits be like?" Temih explained. "Nameh's feet are nice, petite. But he's so burly... He's always working at something big, like he wants to prove he's as strong as a Jaguar or Lion."

Bol looked concerned. "He does this why?"

"Because he is the strongest among us, but... I know, I know... he's still Cheetah Kin, and we're just not built for strength. If he were in a fight with a big Leopard, or even a small Lioness, he'd be history."

"But he's got nice feet." Bol completed. Temih laughed again. "What about that beautiful ashen colored one? I've never seen a Cheetah look like him."

Temih looked away, "I think he doesn't like me much. I talk to Humans too often for his taste."

"Isn't there one of them that you do like enough to bear kits for? Temih, believe me when I tell you - you won't have all your life to decide. I'm past my own egg-bearing age, you know. You wouldn't know it to look at me, but I've nested five times!"

Bol fluffed her slate-colored feathers and struck a pose, arm swinging her head-plume feathers back. Temih nearly lost her composure laughing.

"But five nests, that's a lot," Temih said, after settling back down a bit. "I ... Cheetahs aren't known for big healthy kits, either. One usually dies."

"That is very sad. But you have all the others to keep them protected. I'm sure that they would, if you were to bear even one of them kits."

Temih looked away, golden tan eyes narrowed in thought. Bol lifted herself off the floor, legs bending that strangely backward way.

"I'm going to leave you with that. I hope you come to a decision - if not for you, for the sake of the poor boys in the cavern. They cannot wait forever. And if another Cheetah witch like you is found and deported to Planet Twenty, your priveleged life might change."

Temih watched Bol waddle off down the hillside, back to her own Kin. They lived near the larger lake, and on a good day the Cheetah tribe could see the Inner Ocean from their perched homes.

Temih remained distracted for hours, before sleeping. The heat of the morning would wake her - and perhaps she would have a decision by then.