The Lion fell in love. He sat down with front paws laid out together, like a sphinx, until the felled hero began to stir.

“I brought you your books,” said Brrr.

“Oh. I hoped you were a dream,” murmured the soldier, which Brrr first took to be a compliment.

“I thought you’d want them.” He walked the parcel over to the soldier and he didn’t mean to drop it on his head. “Whoops. Sorry.”

“They’re not mine, you monster,” complained the young man. “They’re for you.”

“I have no learning,” said the Lion, “or I’d be happy to read aloud to you to pass the time.”

“You mock me for someone else’s crimes. Lion, I throw myself on your mercy.”

“What can I do for you?”

“What do you think? I don’t want you to return these books to the library!” yelled the soldier. “I want help! Go for help, you cretinous beast!” He was quite pretty, weeping.

“Wait here. I’ll bring you some water to drink.”

“I’m not going anywhere, ‘cept to the breast of Lurlina if you don’t hurry.” The soldier ran his fingers over his shaven scalp. “I wish the bugs would wait until I was fully dead.”

The Lion returned. It was hard to balance water in a scooped-out gourd, and most of it had spilled, but a few drops moistened the soldier’s parched lips.

“Since you can’t wrench this iron mouth off my leg, please go get my comrades,” said the soldier. “If they’ve given up on finding me, they’ll reconnoiter at the barracks in Tenniken. Tell them that Jemmsy sent you. They won’t forget their Jemmsy. I’m their favorite. I’m like their little brother.”

“Jemmsy, is it? Jemmsy, I can’t have anything to do with soldiers! Soldiers and their campaigns, Jemmsy. Really.”

“Don’t kid yourself,” said Jemmsy. “Everyone sleeps with the soldiers, in the long run.”

“If I’m not mistaken, Jemmsy, you were among that troop a few nights ago, Jemmsy, boasting about bagging pussy and all that? Weren’t you, Jemmsy?”

“You totally don’t get it. But this is my punishment? To be lectured to death by a talking Lion?”

It was at this remark that Brrr first surmised that not all Lions could speak.

“You’re raving, perhaps from starvation,” said Brrr. “Jemmsy, let me find you some food at least.” He lit out in the direction of Tenniken, in the direction that the fallen man suggested, and when he came across a slope of ripe strawberries he picked several quarts with his mouth and brought them back, delivering them one by one with a roll of his tongue.

The water had revived the soldier enough to be more aware of his pain. “Don’t stop to feed me,” he groaned, cramming the fruit in his mouth. “Don’t come back with a salad course. Just get my mates. Get me some fucking help. Don’t I merit that much mercy?”

“I can’t actually tell. What’s your medal for, Jemmsy?”

“Courage in the line of fire.” Jemmsy began to bite his nails.