After a night of too little sleep during which he could not turn his thoughts away from his encounter with the mysterious and very attractive stranger, Carl drank an extra cup of strong coffee before he headed out to make his morning rounds. Part of his routine involved checking all of the feline exhibit areas and trying to get a good look at every animal in each one. This could be a challenge.
The habitats were set up to at least superficially resemble the species’ natural environment. That meant there was cover, hiding places and plenty of space to move around. Carl usually took most of the morning to observe his charges. If he noted any signs of distress or illness, he watched even closer and summoned the zoo’s chief veterinarian if he thought it necessary.
The first thing he saw was
