Lost Roar by Zenina Masters

Chapter One
     
     
    Nicia smelled the lions approaching before she saw them. She crept around in the shadows in the front of the house, watching them approach.
    A huge male walked toward the house, and Nicia cocked her head. It wasn’t a male she had met before. She waited until he was firmly in her territory, and then, she ran for him.
    He was surprised by her attack and she knocked him to his back. He flailed and got to his feet, returning the attack with a roar. She ducked under him and jumped, but her chain pulled her tight.
    She lashed her tail and fought back to her feet. She sucked in air as hard as she could, but the male came up behind her and pinned her to the ground with his jaws on the back of her neck like a mother with a cub.
    He had to hold her around the wide cuff of leather and chain that bound her throat. Other feet rushed by her, feline and human alike. She heard shouting from inside the house, and the family was pulled out one by one, lined up on the lawn.
    Nicia thrashed in the grip of the other lion and wished she could give sound to her frustration.
    When everyone was out of the house, the lion let her go. He shifted to his human form and stroked her head. “Come on, lass, into your human shape.”
    She shook her head and the chain rattled.
    He unbuckled the collar and knelt next to her. He was old for a human, in his sixties at least.
    Nicia flexed her paws and shifted a little at a time. When she finished, she was kneeling on the ground, her long brown hair around her and hiding her from the gazes of those around her.
    The man next to her inhaled deeply. “What is your name, lass?”
    She hesitated. Her voice was horrible to hear, or so she had been told. She licked her lips and slowly spoke. “Nicia Wells.”
    He blinked. “Nicia?”
    She nodded.
    He extended his hand. “I am your grandfather. Anderson Mooring.”
    Nicia was suddenly overcome with sorrow. “Mom is dead.”
    He blinked away tears. “I know. She made it out to a hospital, but she was too badly mauled to tell us where she had been. I only found out she had had a child about a year ago. I have been looking for you ever since.”
    Nicia let tears flow. “You were with her when she died?”
    “I was.”
    “Thank you. She should not have died alone.” She took his hand, and he pulled her to her in a hug.
    “I knew it was you the moment you knocked me on my butt. Nancy had the same spirit.”
    “I know. She never stopped fighting.” Nicia looked up at him and smiled through her tears.
    “Would you like to come home with me?”
    She nodded. There had never been a home for her here. It had always been a life of pain and loss. Time to try something new.
     
    * * * *
     
    Later, Nicia learned that every home in the fundamentalist lion compound had been raided. Children had been separated from mothers who were committed to the cause, and the mothers were kept in an area to learn life skills and how to live on their own.
    Nicia changed her name to Nicia Mooring. She wanted nothing of that previous life attached to her beyond the scars she couldn’t get rid of.
     
    She woke at dawn and crept down the stairs, making breakfast for her grandparents. She whisked the eggs, popped the toast and put the turkey bacon on to fry.
    Helena came down in her robe, “You know you don’t have to make breakfast, Nissy.”
    She smiled, “I like it. If you don’t mind it, I would like to continue.”
    “If it makes you smile, keep doing it. Your voice is sounding better.” Helena grinned and gave Nicia a hug.
    “Thanks. The healers are doing what they can, but the scar tissue is extensive. My father was trying to silence me with the wire. It nearly worked.” She rubbed the bands of scars on her throat as she thought of Dan Wells. The scars were as much a part of her as the black lock in her hair or her silent attack pattern.
    “The mages aren’t really on our frequency, so they do what they can.” Anderson came down in his robe and