Dribbles - 5. Taming the Lion

“Wake up, damn it! You okay?”

“Huh? Oh, crap. Did I fall off again?”

“Yes, you did. I swear, you can’t even make it as a clown. I don’t know why I let you stick around.”

Seamus sat up. “You let me stay because no one else can handle the big cats like I can.” He wiped the water out of his eyes and grimaced at the paint smearing his hands.

Barnabas snorted. “Yeah well, go earn your keep before I decide to kick you out of the circus anyway. Lars can’t get the lions back into their cages.”

Seamus could hear the snarling and huffing in the background. He pulled off the ridiculous red wig as he hurried to the trailer he shared with the other clowns. He rushed to change into some rough work clothes, he hated his stupid blue and yellow costume. He ran a cloth over his face to remove the white and blue paint. Lars was nearly snarling as loud as the lions when he finally got to the main circus tent.

“Stop that!” Seamus shouted as he saw Lars raise his show whip where he stood over the male lion.

“Shut up runt. I’ll do what I please, these are my lions. This one is too damn old to be good in the show anyway. He won’t even go into his cage. You deal with it.” Lars stalked off toward the tiger cages.

Seamus rushed over to where Leonidas lay on his side. He dropped to his knees in the dirt ring and picked up the lion's massive head. He saw the glassy look in the Leonidas' eyes and knew it was too late. He lowered his head and rested his small forehead on the rough fur of Leonidas’ mane, hot tears falling into the musky fur. His hand stroked down the lion’s gaunt ribs, avoiding the whip marks. He continued to stroke him softly while the lion took a few more labored breaths until even those stopped. Seamus closed his eyes and shook.

His eyes glowed yellow when he looked up and moved away from his dead friend. His lip was raised over his teeth and he was snarling. He moved to the main cage doors and unlocked them. Once they were open he stalked toward Lars, letting out an impossibly loud roar that rumbled through the circus.

With a flash of light Seamus disappeared and in his place stood a large lion, much bigger than Leonidas had been. His fangs were exposed as he continued to snarl and stalk Lars. The large man was backing away from him, shaking in fear. He bumped into the tiger cage only to scream and scramble away, blood running down his back from several long gashes in his back.

Seamus huffed at Lasila, the female tiger and then turned his predator gaze to Lars who was gibbering in fear. With a savage snarl he pounced on the vulnerable man, raking his claws in his stomach and biting his throat. Closing his massive jaws he crushed the man’s throat and shook his limp body viciously. Letting go he stood over the man and opened his blood stained jaws. His great rumbling roar was answered by the other big cats that gathered around him.

They touched his body and ran their heads along his sides and under his chin. Some licked at the blood staining his muzzle as he stood proudly and let them come to him. Hearing noises at the entrance to the tent he glanced over and saw Barnabas and several of the other men with guns in their hands. He stepped away from the mangled body and with another flash of light a naked Seamus stood in the middle of the cats.

Instead of attacking him the cats sat down next to him and they all stared at the tent opening. Seamus scrubbed one hand over the blood staining his chin and glared at the circus owner.

“If you try to shoot us you won’t like what happens.”

Barnabas just shook his head. He lowered his gun and stared at the small man surrounded by cats that could kill him in a second, just as he had killed Lars. “What are you?” he asked in amazement.

Seamus shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve just always been this, a cat and a man. I was abandoned as baby.”

“Are you going to try and kill us too?” Barnabas was eyeing him with a speculative look on his face.

“Not if you don’t harm the cats. Lars tortured Leonidas as he lay dying,” Seamus said with a snarl, “He was a sadistic bastard and should never have been let near my friends.”

“Well then… I have an idea. If you won’t kill us, you can be in charge of the cats and their performances from now on.” Barnabas was licking his lips.

Seamus eyed him warily, “What’s in it for you?”

“You could do your transformation in the show. Think of how much money people will pay!” His eyes lit up with greed.

“And if I do that then you’ll let me be in charge of the cats? I don’t have to be a clown anymore?”

Barnabas smirked. “It’s not like you made a good clown anyway.”