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He sprang away from her； recoiling as though from a slash with a chariot whip。 He stared at her with wide and terrified eyes。 His voice was hoarse and panting； as though he had run far and fast。 'Mintaka； my love； my darling。 I don't know what happened to me。 It was a madness。 I did not intend it。' He made a despairing gesture。 'I would rather die than break my oath； and bring dishonour upon you。'
Her breathing was so laboured that she could not answer him at once。 She averted her eyes from his naked body； and he went on piteously； 'Please don't hate me。 I did not know what was happening。'
'I don't hate you； Nefer。 I could never hate you。' His distress was too much to bear； she wanted to throw herself back into his arms and to fort him。 But she knew how dangerous that would be。 She used the wheel of the chariot to pull herself to her feet。 'I am as much at fault as you are。 I should never have let that happen。' Her legs trembled under her； and she tried to push her hair back off her face with both hands。
He stood up guiltily； took one step towards her but when she recoiled he stopped at once。 'I have torn your skirt；' he said。 'I did not mean to。'
She looked down； and saw how blatantly she was exposed…she was almost as naked as he was。 Hastily she pulled the ripped ends together and stepped further from him。 'You must dress yourself；' she whispered； and despite herself she looked down at him。 He was so lovely； and she felt desire rise again。 She forced herself to look away。 He stooped quickly； gathered up the discarded chiton and fastened it around his waist。
They stood in guilty； awkward silence。 Desperately Mintaka searched for words to distract them both from this terrible moment。 Her own body came to her aid。 She became aware of a real and pressing fullness in her bladder。 'I must go！'
'No；' he pleaded。 'I did not mean it。 Forgive me。 It won't happen again。 Stay with me。 Don't leave me。'
She smiled shakily； 'No。 You don't understand。 I will be gone for a short while only。' She made an unmistakable gesture with the hands holding her torn skirt together。 'I won't be long。'
His relief was almost pathetic。 'Oh； I understand。 I will make the chariot ready。' He turned to the horses； and she left him and picked her way deeper into the grove of thorn trees。
* * *
The lion watched her e through the trees towards where he lay。 He flattened his ears against his skull； and pressed his body closer to the stony earth。
He was an old beast； past his prime。 There were grey hairs in the dark； shaggy bush of his mane。 His back had once had a bluish sheen； but now it was lightly frosted with age。 His teeth were worn and stained； and one of the long fangs was broken off close to the gum。 Although he could still pull down a full…grown bullock and kill it with a single blow of one of his huge paws； his claws were worn and blunted so that it was difficult for him to cling to more agile prey。 The previous night he had missed an oryx； and his hunger was a dull； insistent pain in his gut。
He watched the human creature with yellow eyes； and his upper lip lifted in a silent snarl。 As a cub his dam had taught him to feed on the dead flesh that they scavenged from the battlefields。 He did not have the natural repugnance that most other carnivorous animals feel for the taste of human flesh。 Over the years he had killed and feasted upon this meat whenever the opportunity presented itself。 He saw this creature e towards him through the low scrub as natural prey。
Mintaka stopped fifty paces short of where he lay； and looked around her。 The instinct of the lion during the stalk was to avoid the direct gaze of its prey。 He kept his head low to the ground and hooded his eyes to slits。 This was not the moment for the attack； and his tail was held stiff and low。
Mintaka stepped behind the trunk of one of the trees； crouched down and voided her bladder。 The lion's snout creased into deep wrinkles as he picked up the sharp scent of her urine。 It quickened his interest。 Mintaka stood again and let her torn skirt drop back around her thighs。 She turned away from the lion； and started back towards where Nefer waited。
The lion slashed its tail back and forth； the prelude to the charge。 He lifted his head； and the black tufted tail whipped against his flanks。
Mintaka heard the rhythmic swish and thud of the tail； stopped and looked back； puzzled。 She looked straight into the yellow gaze of the beast。 She screamed； a high…pitched sound that struck Nefer to the heart。 He whirled round and in an instant took in the situation： the girl and the crouching beast facing her。
'Don't run！' he shouted。 He knew that if she ran it would trigger the feline reflex of the lion to chase。 'I am ing！'
He snatched his bow and quiver from the rack on the dashboard； and raced towards her； nocking an arrow as he ran。
'Don't run！' he repeated desperately； but at that moment the lion growled。 It was a terrible sound that seemed to vibrate in Mintaka's bones and make the ground tremble under her feet。 She could not control the terror that overwhelmed her。 She whirled and ran back blindly towards Nefer； sobbing with each stride。
Instantly the lion's mane rose like a dark aura around his head and he launched himself into his charge； ing straight after her； a dark； tawny streak through the trees。 He overtook her as though she were still rooted to the earth。
Nefer stopped dead and dropped the quiver to free both hands； and he threw up the bow。 He drew the fletching to his lips and set his aim on the massive heaving chest。 Even though the range was short； it was a difficult shot。 The beast was ing at an angle； so the deflection was critical； and Mintaka was in the direct line of his fire。 On top of that； he knew that a wounding would not save Mintaka。 He must drive an arrowhead through the beast's vital organs to pin it down； and give her the chance to get clear。 Yet there was no time for precise calculation； the lion was almost on top of her。
It came grunting at each bound； clods and pebbles spurting up under the drive of its great paws。 The yellow eyes were terrible。 Nefer swung just a touch ahead； allowing a hand's breadth for the drop of the arrow in flight and he yelled； with all the urgency he could muster； 'Down； Mintaka！ Clear my shot！'
They had developed a close accord over the weeks in which they had hunted together； and she had learned to trust him implicitly。 Even in her transport of terror he could still reach her。 She did not hesitate but from full run she threw herself flat upon the stony earth almost under the jaws of the onrushing lion。
In the same instant that she went down； Nefer let fly。 The arrow sprang from his bowstring。 To Nefer's fear…crazed eyes it seemed to move across the gap that separated them with the leisurely flight of some overburdened bird of prey。 It passed over where Mintaka lay； already beginning to drop； seeming tiny； slow and ineffectual against such a massive animal。
Then it struck