The Stone Lions (20 page)

“Look what I found at the fishpond.” Su’ah
walked in the room with a large gray tabby curled across her thin
arms. Jada trailed along behind her. “I’m sure he must belong to
someone. He came right up to me and purred.”

Ara thought she would faint from relief.

Su’ah sat down and continued petting the cat.
“I saw mouse droppings on the floor a few days ago. This will take
care of that problem. He looks like a good mouser.”

Suleiman gave them a don’t-get-me-started
look. Ara snorted, trying to cover her laughter, while Layla rushed
to Su’ah’s side exclaiming, “He’s wonderful,” to both Suleiman’s
and Su’ah’s delight.

“I thought you might like a cat, Layla. Your
mother said you wanted a pet.” Su’ah scratched Suleiman under the
chin, and his eyes glazed over with pleasure. “I knew you wouldn’t
want one of those noisy parakeets that the Infidels brought Rabab.
They flit all over the place, never sitting still for a
moment.”

The purring stopped, and Suleiman was
immobile. A glint of light came from a slit in his eyes, and
abruptly it disappeared.

“I’ll call him Hannibal—he looks like a good,
quiet cat. Here Layla, you want to hold him? Sit down here, and
I’ll set him in your lap. Jada, you sit next to her, and no pulling
his tail again!”

Ara doubled over in laughter at the two
former adversaries snuggle. After all their past disagreements when
both were slaves and human, Suleiman now, in his cat form, seemed
quite pleased by the affection.

Su’ah placed him in Layla’s lap, where he
continued to purr. “Ara, what
are
you
carrying on about over there? I see nothing funny. Well, maybe he
is a little heavy,” Su’ah conceded, looking at the cat with a
calculating eye. “Someone must have been overfeeding him. He’ll
slim down quick enough when he has to forage on his own.”

Suleiman glared at Su’ah, his tail
twitching.

“Have you ever seen a cat so smart looking.
Why, I’d almost believe he can understand me.” Suleiman’s eyes
narrowed, his tail twitching faster. “Layla, you must be petting
him too hard, he doesn’t seem to like that.”

Suleiman dropped into a quick catnap and,
pleased that her mouser was settling in so nicely, Su’ah left to
take Jada back to her mother.

Ara shook the cat awake as soon as she was
gone. “Where were you? We were worried.”

Miffed at the rude awakening, Suleiman
snarled and made a perfunctory swipe in her direction. “I was out
thinking. The lions have a point.” He yawned and stretched. “There
are important lessons to learn.”

Ara waved his comment away. “But our time is
almost over. The sundial out on the portico says we have only two
more hours. We needed you here.”

“Well, yes,” he agreed acidly on his way to
the door, “in a perfect world I would sit beside you and wait on
your pleasure. But I have one more important task to do. I’ll be
back in plenty of time.” Before she could grab him, he streaked out
of the room.

Chapter 30

Ara once again found herself looking out the
window. At least Layla had found the broken symmetry and promptly
covered it with a tapestry so Ara wouldn’t see it and risk another
transformation until Suleiman returned.

But time was running out. Noon had long past
and the time for Asr was near. The shadow on the sundial crept to
the mark faster and faster.

Allah take that cat!

Thump, thump, thump—Suleiman bounded into the
room. “Hide me quick, they’re after me.” They heard footsteps pound
up the stairs.

Fear streaked across Layla’s face. “Is it the
wazir?”

“No, worse! Rabab and Zoriah,” Suleiman spat,
racing around the room, looking for a hiding place. “Hurry, they’re
almost here.”

The girls looked to one another and realized
what they needed to do. Layla ran to the tapestry and flipped it
up. As Ara gazed at the symmetry, it rapidly realigned itself. She
felt a tingling throughout her body as the Alhambra healed. Deep
within the walls she heard lions, many lions, roaring.

Zoriah rushed in, a gasping, limping Rabab
not far behind. “Have you seen a cat?” Zoriah demanded, looking
around the room. There on the rug sat a yellow dog, leisurely
scratching his ear.

“Where did
that
come
from?” Rabab wheezed, pointing. She said down on the bed, panting
from exertion.

Zoriah, momentarily distracted, stared at the
hound. “
That
can’t stay in your sleeping
rooms. Whose is it?”

Ara walked over and wrapped her arms around
him. “He just appeared. Please don’t make me put him outside.” The
dog perked up his long velvety ears and, wagging his tail, gave her
a sloppy lick on the face.

Zoriah winced.

Rabab recoiled at the sight. “Mohammed tells
us dogs are dirty.”

Ara held up the dog’s long ears. “But not
salukis. They are hunting dogs, favored by Mohammed.”

“We’ll discuss this once we have resolved our
search.” Zoriah looked at the girls suspiciously. “Have you seen a
cat? Su’ah found a cat this morning, a gray cat.”

Avoiding looking at Suleiman, Ara said, “The
cat ran out of here some time ago. We couldn’t catch him.”

Rabab, finally regaining her breath, burst
out, “The horrible creature tried to eat my parakeets. I heard
their squawks and ran into my room. There he was pinning one of my
little birds against the cage with his paw. Once he saw me, the
beast scuttled out the room. We followed him here.”

Ara looked at the dog before responding with
a slight edge to her voice, “Maybe he’s gone now. You know how cats
are. They never stay where they belong nor wait on anyone’s
pleasure but their own.”

Suleiman’s ears folded back.

The older woman bent awkwardly to check in
the bedding. “You’re sure he’s not in here?”

“Rabab, there’s a dog sitting over there.”
Zoriah’s voice was dry. “Do you really think a dog would just be
sitting there if a cat were in this room?”

Ara quietly thanked Allah that Layla had
found the broken symmetry. She watched as Layla placed her foot on
top of a lone yellow feather.

Rabab pushed herself upright. “That’s true,
of course. But I was sure I saw him head this way. Where else could
he have gone?”

She looked around the room again, stopping at
the dog that had found Layla’s slipper and was chewing on it. “I
don’t think we should allow dogs in the harem—they’re dirty.”

Zoriah studied the dog one last time. “Ara,
I’m going to have to talk to your father about that dog. You can’t
keep him in the harem. He looks flea-ridden, he’s grimy—he could be
vicious.

Suleiman stood and wagged his tail. Ara could
hear the plea in her voice as she spoke. “You can see he’s gentle.
I’ll give him a bath, and he won’t be any trouble. Please, just for
a few days.” Ara gave her a wistful smile.

Layla crossed the room to join Ara. “Could we
at least take him to see Tahirah? She loves animals.”

Suleiman perked his ears and thumped his
tail.

The thought of the immaculate Sufi cavorting
with the hound seemed too much for Zoriah. “Somehow, although it
seems beyond all possibility, it just might be so. Tahirah could be
amused to see a dog.” Her expression fell. “But I’m afraid not. I
saw her before Dhuhr prayer on her way into Granada. She had to go
to the khanqa, the Sufi hospice. One of the Sufis there had taken a
turn for the worse and needed her comfort. She’s not expected back
until after the evening meal. You can visit with her tomorrow.”

Ara’s eyes widened. “Tomorrow? But that’s a
long time from now.

“Exactly,” Zoriah agreed, focusing once again
on the girls. “And you need to help us find that cat. Until Tahirah
returns tomorrow you’re responsible for that dog. But then he must
go.”

Rabab’s brow wrinkled. “Where are all these
animals coming from, anyway? First a cat, and now this dog. At
least it seems friendly.” She moved over to the door. “He probably
belongs to someone. See how he looks…he’s the fattest hound I’ve
ever seen.”

Zoriah shook her head. “Lately, nothing is
going as it should. The wazir has been asking odd questions of all
the servants. I don’t understand.”

Ara and Layla didn’t move. Suleiman curled
his tail between his legs.

Su’ah slowly ambled through the door and gave
a start of surprise. “What’s that dog doing here?” With a sour
look, she returned to the door and called out, “Here, kitty,
kitty.”

“That cat almost ate my parakeets.” Rabab
glowered.

Su’ah stood with her hand on the door. “That
cat is going to rid us of vermin. That’s much more important than
any silly birds. Can’t have mice running around all over the place.
Hannibal! Here, kitty. Come, puss.”

Layla walked over and placed a gentle hand on
Su’ah’s shoulder. “Though I believe that particular cat no longer
values his independence, I’m not sure he will return.”

Su’ah snorted. “Don’t be ridiculous. Cats
always come back. You know the expression, ‘Feed a cat, own a cat.’
I’ll put out some goat milk for him. You’ll see.” She nodded as she
left.

Zoriah yanked a strand of her hair in
exasperation. “We will help find the cat now.” She gestured firmly
toward the dog. “I’ll deal with this situation later.”

Rabab and Zoriah left the room, dragging the
girls in reluctant tow in search of a missing gray tabby. The dog
stayed behind closed doors, worrying a slipper.

Chapter 31

When the sun had barely begun its path across
the sky the next morning, the girls raced to the Palace of the
Partal where the Sufi stayed. Tahirah stood at its entrance,
smiling at the sight of the hound trotting happily beside them. He
waved a found stick around in delight.

“This is a splendid stick!” He dropped it in
front of them. “You know, I wouldn’t mind if you threw it.” He
waited, ready to chase. While both girls were pleased with this new
and cheerier Suleiman, neither wanted to throw the now
drool-covered thing. Suleiman finally grinned and grabbed it again.
“Still, it’s a great day and a wonderful stick.”

He carried it high in the air, tossing his
head in pleasure until he spied Tahirah. He dropped the stick.
“There she is. I can’t believe it. What a thrill.” He raced full
out toward her, leaping and dancing around her until, to his
delight, she laughed out loud.

“I missed you so.” He danced around in a
circle once again and ran back to get the stick. “Did you see my
stick? I found it on the way here. Isn’t it a great stick?”

Tahirah reached for the stick and, after a
short playful tussle with Suleiman, threw it with a practiced arm.
Suleiman bounded after it. Ara and Layla hugged Tahirah, then
stepped back when Suleiman returned bearing the stick.

Ara watched his antics with mixed emotions.
“I’ve never seen Suleiman this happy.” Under the circumstances, it
didn’t seem right that her stodgy tutor should be so lighthearted,
even if he was magically transformed into a dog’s body.

“It is wonderful, is it not?” Tahirah threw
the stick again. “There’s a lesson to be learned from dogs. Life is
fleeting. Enjoy it to its fullest.”

Layla nodded. “That’s what the lions
said.”

Tahirah stopped. “You spoke to the
lions?”

Suleiman returned again with his stick,
dropped it at Tahirah’s feet and panted. “No. I spoke to the lions.
Or,”—he looked confused—“the cat did, anyway.”

“I think we need to go into my rooms for a
more private conversation.” Tahirah said, then led the way.
Servants nodded politely with only a few raised eyebrows at the
hound trotting happily alongside.

A few moments later, enjoying tea and flaky
sweets, they lounged on the cushions. Suleiman stood at Tahirah’s
feet, catching pitched morsels of food.

“So, how did you come to speak to the lions?”
she asked.

His ears went down, and he whined slightly.
“I went to confer with them. They were disdainful of me.” He
thought a bit. “Of course, I too would be disdainful of a small cat
were I a grand one. Perhaps that was the real problem.”

Tahirah hid her smile. “Perhaps, but let’s
explore some other avenues. Think back. What did the lions say to
you?”

Suleiman sat down and scratched his ear
before looking at her plate, his head tilted. “I told Ara and Layla
already.” He glanced at Tahirah. “I would remember better if you
gave me one more of those little pastries.”

Her lips twitched as if amused but she
replied in an uncompromising tone. “No blackmail, thank you very
much. If you don’t choose to tell me, the girls will be happy to do
so. I wanted to give you the chance to tell your story
yourself.”

Suleiman’s hung his head. “I’m sorry. You’re
my pack. Of course I’ll tell you. I don’t really need the treats.”
He turned his head slightly from the dish of pastries, drool
dripping down his jaw.