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Cleo's Bathtime

Having seen Jim off at the gate, I turned to head back across the courtyard to collect Cleo and head home. Julie came dashing up behind me. "Mind if I walk with you, Jim?"

I shrugged. "Sure, if you want to. But... why the sudden interest in me? Or is it more a sudden interest in Cleo?"

Julie blushed. "I'd... not really paid any attention to you before, but the interest is mostly in Cleo. Like I said before I'd never been that close to a lion before and it's... well.... she's such a sweet cat and you seem perfectly OK with her and so I figured... well... I'd like to get as much of that as I can."

"Well, Cleo's not exactly the right cat to be learning from, Julie. With her quirks and all she's kind of like "Lions for dummies", in a way. Most people can deal with her without any problem. The thing is that if they think they can do things with other cats like they can around Cleo then they're in for a big shock, and perhaps even worse." I frowned a bit as I said that to Julie.

"Oh...." Julie looked a bit shocked. "I hadn't really thought about it that way."

I nodded. "No problem. Most people wouldn't have, which is the thing. I've been used to "normal" big cats and so I know what not to do around them, and that I can do such things around Cleo. Other people who don't have my experience wouldn't know the difference." I chuckled a bit and smiled "But you can hang around me and Cleo if you like, so long as Jack doesn't get his undies too bunched about it."

She smiled. "He'd have a problem with it anyway, but if she's been spending time in your office, I think I can find reasonable excuses to visit you every so often."

I nodded. "I wouldn't mind, so long as Cleo doesn't."

By this time we were across the courtyard and winding our way along the path to the cathouse. I opened the door for Julie and she thanked me politely. "But how are you going to get her back to your car, Jim?" She asked, honestly.

"Well, I was figuring I'd just walk her there. Most everyone's gone home already. Jack left the moment the gates were closed, I'm sure. Vic's guys left then too. Chet's group is always just back at the powerhouse until quitting time unless they're needed for something. That'd only leave the other keepers, you office girls, and me. I figured you office staff don't hang around much after closing, or Jack would have a bird. Vic starts going through the crappers and locking them up as soon as it's announced the zoo is closing in a half hour. Back to front he's pretty good about getting the buildings shut up. He doesn't do the cathouse because he knows I'm usually the last guy off the property for the evening, unless someone's staying over for some reason. So... It's pretty much me and thee, Julie."

I know I was rambling as we walked slowly to where "the park" was and I opened the door, but she seemed to absorb it all.

"You really do know a lot about how this place works, don't you?" she commented. "You should have Jack's job."

I laughed as I walked through the door and sat down near Cleo's place on the loafing shelf. "I don't want Jack's job. He's right about me and paperwork - I hate filling out a form for every single stupid thing around here. I understand why it's done, and why it's necessary, but it just bugs the snot out of me. And even though I'm honest about things around here, I know others may not be so honest, so it's important to track everything. And while I'm smart about the cats and their keep, and keep on top of things like their weight and feedings and stuff, and the feeders that come through are pretty good. I know that other parts of the zoo don't necessarily have the same skills, or quality of workers that I do. I know there's only 5 people on feeding staff, but still, it's important for keepers to know exactly what's been done, who's gotten what, and be able to backtrack stuff when things go wrong. I'd not be any good at being the bean-counter so I'd need someone to do it for me. That's part of why I'm not the zoo director. I was offered the job and turned it down, for a number of reasons."

Julie looked curious as she started petting Cleo, who was enjoying the attention immensely. "Well, what other reasons, besides not liking to do paperwork?"

"Well, Jack's better at schmoozing than I am, so that makes him better at fundraising. That and he sort of has the energy for it. I'm kind of maxed out in dealing with the day-to-day of this place. And then there's the political liability of things," I responded.

"Political liability? In what way?" Julie looked confused at that.

"Well, say something goes to hell in a big way here. While I'm head keeper I'd likely get some flak about it, but if it's something big the director is who has to answer press questions and whose name is splattered all over the news. And it's whoever has that bad-press name that the board would need to shitcan, so I'm sort of politically insulated in that manner." I shrugged and smiled. "It's not that bad, really, but it's helpful when you can stay in the background a bit, only coming forward when you need to."

Julie looked curious. "But can't the board just fire you too, if something happened?"

I nodded, "They can, but they can't. I know a couple of the board members and the chairman, too. That's how come I can kinda get most of Jack's more ridiculous ideas shitcanned before they gain any traction. I also have a bit of a secret "ace in the hole", so to speak, that I'd prefer not to play unless it really came down to me losing my job over some board decision."

"What is it?" Julie asked, interested.

I couldn't help but laugh. "Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies..." I winked. "That one, my dear, shouldn't come out until it's time to lay all the cards on the table. Even for my friends."

Julie gave me an "Awww" look, but oh well. I fuzzled Cleo's head and then she looked up at me as I rose from the seat. "You're wanting to go home?" Cleo nodded.

"Can I walk with you to your car?" Jule asked, giving Cleo another snuggle-hug.

I shrugged. "If Cleo doesn't mind. Cleo, would you like Julie to walk with us to the car?" Cleo looked at Julie, then back at me and nodded. "Works for me, then," I said.

"Thank you, Cleo. I just like you so much I wish I could take you home with me." Julie kissed the top of Cleo's head before standing to go. "But you'd scare all my neighbors and they'd make me get rid of you."

I laughed. "Yeah, sometimes it's a benefit living alone out in the country."

Julie smirked. "Yeah, you pervert back in the woods with all your pussy.... cats."

"Don't knock it till you've tried it." I winked back and she laughed.

On our way up through the cathouse Cleo stopped to look back as Hugo roared a couple times when I set the locks on the main doors, then Jake sounded off in similar manner. "You'd like to go and meet the others, Cleo?" Cleo nodded.

I gave it a thought, then looked down to Cleo. "How about another time? We really should be getting home. You've had a big day." Cleo looked at me for a bit of time, then nodded and turned, giving a couple soft voofs which drew a few of the other cats to the cage bars.

The paths and the courtyard were deserted, as I figured they would be, and many of the lights had turned on for the night. With the days getting shorter, darkness enveloped the zoo a lot faster than during summertime when we were open hours later into the evening without any appreciable lack of sunlight.

Julie drew closer to me as we walked. "Seems spookier at night. Jim was right... without anyone around you could imagine animals plotting against you and no one around to help." Julie said, shivering a little.

"I never really paid it much attention, really." I said. "Same place, light or dark. Then again, over the years I've spent many nights here worried about some critter or another. Like when the litter was born I got Peaches from and I worried I'd have to call Jim in for an emergency C-section. And the many nights we've had to say goodbye to some animal or another for whatever reason...." I frowned deeply and sighed a bit, thinking of Zera and that night awhile ago, when I'd watched her and worried over her... and she did get to see another sunrise, but not another sunset.

Julie must have noticed a change in me. "Whatcha thinking about? You've gotten quiet and seem a bit sad, all of a sudden."

I looked at her and swallowed hard, stuffing that memory back into the bottle it escaped from. "Oh... some nights were worse than others. Was remembering one of the worse ones cuz Jim had mentioned it earlier today." I meekly smiled a bit. "I get a little sappy sometimes in the evenings when the day's concerns get tucked away 'til the morning and it lets other crap out to play, both demons and angels."

Cleo had come up alongside me and nuzzled my leg. I put my hand down to pet her. "Yeah, I know, kitten. I'll be alright and I'll tell you all about it later."

"Can't you tell me, too?" Julie asked.

I just shook my head. "Some things..." I just shook my head again and tapped my skull with my index finger. "Some of the shit up here I wouldn't want to unleash on another soul ever. You're best off not knowing all the shit I've seen and been through. You'll come to know those kinds of things in your own time, and that's as it should be. Some stuff, I hope you'll never have to see or know. It's just that bad. What I was thinking about just now wasn't one of those absolute horror things, but it was something best not dredged up after dark, that's for sure. That's something for the daylight only. Maybe someday I'll let you know, but only time will tell with that one."

Julie looked confused. "Then why can you tell Cleo? Wouldn't she be upset by it, too?"

I honestly hadn't given that much thought, as I'd always talked to my animals, no matter what they were. But here was one that could respond back to let me know she understood what I was saying moreso than any I'd had before, and she seemed to understand a lot. Maybe she would be damaged with knowing. While we were chatting we had arrived at the parking lot and I stood there by my Blazer considering that all.

"Jim?" Julie asked.

I smiled a bit, having been shaken from my ponderings. "I don't know. I hadn't really considered that until now. I'd just always talked to my pets and so I figured this wouldn't be any different, but it is."

"Well, no matter what. I like you and I can tell Cleo loves you. She wouldn't follow you so readily otherwise," Julie offered.

"Yeah, kinda like Flo. She likes trying to tug on the leash, which is why she doesn't get out much." I nodded in agreement.

"Flo?" Julie asked.

"Oh, one of the lionesses. You know, the one with the crooked ear?" I offered.

Julie nodded. "I know which one you mean, but didn't know that was her name."

I unlocked the door and tipped the seat forward, but climbed in instead of letting Cleo get in like usual.

"What are you doing, Jim?" Julie asked, then stuck her head around the door enough to see me spreading an old sheet over the back seat. "Oh. I understand now."

I nodded. "Yeah, because of the conductive gel. Easier to wash a sheet than to de-goo the seats."

Cleo looked at me as I stepped back out of the back. "Yes, Cleo. You can go in now. I just needed to cover the seat before you laid down on it."

Cleo climbed into the back far easier than she had gotten into the Grunt earlier that day, then sniffed the sheet some before she got up on the seat and laid down.

"She had to investigate it, huh?" Julie asked as I tipped the seat back into position and got in.

I nodded. "Yeah. Big cats don't take to changes that well, and big changes can sometimes be a real big problem. But Cleo's a bit better about that than most. She took to life with me right off, so I guess she's an exception to that rule as well."

Julie smiled as I shut the door and rolled down the window. "Thanks for the wonderful afternoon, Jim. I really appreciated it. And I hope I get to spend a lot more time with Cleo, and then her kittens."

"Cubs," I corrected. "But only time will tell with that, too. I hope I can keep bringing her to work with me, but once she has the kittens that could get really dicey. But we'll see..."

Julie stepped back a bit. "See you tomorrow, Jim," she said and waved goodbye as I started the engine.

"See you in the daylight," I replied, then flipped on the headlights and backed out of the parking stall. She was heading towards the side door as I drove around the lot and back towards the gate to the road.

I turned and looked back at Cleo as I waited for a break in traffic. "You really are something special, Cleo. And I'm real glad Jeff dropped you off for me to have." Cleo just looked at me from where she lay.

* * * * *

I drove in the wrong lane of the paved road and rolled down the window as I pulled up to my mailbox at the end of my farm lane. I flipped through the mail in the light of the dome light. A couple catalogs, the weekly coupon packet, a couple letters and the phone bill. Nothing that exciting from what I could tell. I chucked it on the dash, turned off the dome light and turned sharply to head the Blazer up my driveway.

Bouncing along the slightly-rutted path I pondered just how I was going to clean Cleo up. We could do a shower, but that might not do with her concerns about water. I could draw a bath, but that, too, posed issues. Most notably how to get a lioness into the tub if she doesn't want to go in. Then, too, was the fact that I wouldn't really be able to shampoo her or anything if she's in the water. That and big dogs have a habit of splattering everything when getting a bath, so it would figure that a lioness would make an even bigger mess of the bathroom.

Soon enough we had trundled our way up to the garage and I parked just in front of the single bay. I'd yet to move the roll-cage out, and it wasn't winter just yet so it didn't really matter if my Blazer sat outside or not. I opened the door, grabbed my mail, and got out. Having tipped the seat forward for Cleo to exit, she rose and stretched some as she dropped down with first forepaws and then rear ones to stand on the concrete of the front pad. I shut the door and headed for the mudroom door, opening the people-gate in the fence for Cleo to pass through. I didn't really bother to lock that gate often, since Peaches was usually prowling the yard. I was sort of surprised she didn't come up to greet us.

No sooner than I had my key in the lock than Peaches came padding around the corner and nuzzling Cleo. Ok, so she must have been sleeping in her room when I drove up. That wasn't too uncommon. I let both cats into the mudroom and then let them into the main house.

Cleo immediately padded over to the water bowl and began lapping thristily. "Oh... I didn't know you were that thirsty. Still didn't like the water from the fountain, huh?" Cleo stopped lapping, licked her jowls and then looked to me, shaking her head.

I then remembered Cleo was still a mess, and didn't really want to have her making Peaches a mess, either. "Cleo, you stay in the kitchen. Peaches... come here." I smiled and knelt down. Peaches came padding over and rubbed against me, pushing me over. "Jeez... a little too much rub there, kitten." I righted myself and grabbed Peaches' collar. She hissed at me a bit.

"I know you don't want to go back into your room since you've just been let into the main part of the house, but you've got to go back in for a little bit. I've got to get Cleo cleaned up and then I can let you back out." I know she likely didn't understand what I was saying as I led her back down the hall to her door, but she followed anyway and went through when I opened it up for her. "Don't worry, I will let you out again later," I told her as I shut the door.

I then turned back to the main part of the house and flipped on a couple lights in the living room, flipped on the bathroom light, and turned the heat up some so the house would be warmer once Cleo and I got done getting washed.

Cleo, true to form, was standing there in the kitchen doorway watching me with her blank stare. I went over and pet her head, kneeling down. "I want to get you cleaned up, and likely have some fun doing so, but I need to know that things are ok with you." I didn't expect her to respond to any of that, and she didn't, so I continued. "You're not afraid of water, right?" Cleo nodded. "If I get you all wet, will you be upset with me?" Cleo shook her head. I gave my next question some thought. "Would it be alright if you were sprayed with water to get you wet to get you clean?" She haltingly shook her head. "Do you think the water will hurt you?" She shook her head. "Do you think the water will hurt your cubs?" Again, she shook her head. "Do you think the water will get you cold?" This time she nodded.

"Would it be alright if it was warm water sprayed on you to get you clean?" Cleo looked at me for a bit and then haltingly nodded. "Don't worry, I'll dry you afterwards so you don't get cold. It'll be alright, you'll see." I smiled and kissed Cleo on the nosie. The shower would be quite pleasant anyway, and I could use one, too. After snoozing with Sarah at the start of the day, I smelled a bit like bear all day. Not that anyone would particularly notice, probably figuring it was some cologne or something.

I got out a number of big floofy bath towels and stacked them on the toilet seat. I started the water running and twiddled the valves so it'd be nice and warm, then stripped down and called Cleo into the bathroom. She looked in, then padded in. The shower curtain was drawn back so the stream of water from the showerhead was clearly visible, and inwardly I was grateful I put in the extra normalizing tank and dual 50-gallon water heaters, for circumstances like this. It also helped when I finally got around to doing the mound of laundry, so it'd not use up all the hot water in just three loads.

I patted the side of the tub. "C'mon Cleo. It'll be alright." She stepped up onto the side of the tub, then balked a bit. I tried a different tactic and stood in the tub with the water running down my back. "Ok, you can get in on that end." She seemed to like that idea better and got into the higher end of the tub, having a little difficulty getting her rear legs over the side to stand in the basin with all four feet. I moved to help lift her hips and that let the spray flow normally, which ended up shooting her right in the face. She turned some and looked at me with her dripping headfur and I drew the shower curtain then bent over and kissed her head. "Just trust me, it'll all be good." She seemed to acquiesce at that comment. I grabbed a bottle of shampoo and unscrewed the cap. I moved back towards her head and blocked the shower flow with my back again. I leaned down, dripping a bit myself, and put the bottle head-height for Cleo. "Do you like this smell?" She sniffed the bottle and shook her head. I screwed the cap back on. I grabbed a different bottle of pet shampoo and unscrewed that cap. "Do you like this smell?"

Again, she sniffed the bottle and shook her head. I recapped that bottle and canted my jaw. I unscrewed the cap on the shampoo I used and again moved the bottle for her to take a sniff. "How about this one? Do you like this smell?" She sniffed it and again shook her head. I grabbed the bar of soap and got it slickened. "Do you like this smell?" Yet again she sniffed and shook her head. I reached out of the shower and grabbed a bottle of baby shampoo I got awhile ago for when one of the lions had a skin issue and needed to be kept fairly clean but it had to be gentle on their skin. I uncapped that one. "Do you like this smell?" This time Cleo nodded. I sniffed the bottle, and it did smell pretty good. "Ok, this one it is."

I poured some of the shampoo into my cupped hand and started lathering her head and front end. "You'll need to turn around so your rear gets wet, too. Then I can clean off your whole body." Cleo then turned around in the tub and her rear was getting showered on, so I lathered up her chest and front legs as her rear got soaked. "Ok, now end for end again so I can soap up your rump and tummy." Cleo nodded and turned around. I poured some more shampoo in my hand and lathered her up, paying a bit more attention to where the gel had been spread all over her tummy, and then finally soaped the fur of her tail. She seemed to be enjoying this more as I could feel her body relax from the rubbing and probably from the stream of warm water cascading over her. I knew I always felt better after having the shower water beating down on my sore and achy muscles.

"Are you having fun, Cleo?" I asked. A nod came in reply. "Do you like this?" Again a nod as I finished soaping her up. I moved towards her head and and started working the soap out of her fur as the water cascaded down. "You're doing really well, Cleo. I'm proud of you." She slitted her eyes and pushed against me a bit as I rubbed down her forelegs and chest, sluicing the soapy water off her until it ran clean. "Ok, time to turn around yet again." Cleo readily complied and I started doing the same to her rear, but once I got to touching between her hindlegs, I got to thinking of other things. I quickly soaped myself and rinsed off, Cleo still standing there and then I finshed rinsing her off. I flipped the lever for the tub drain and soon the tub began filling with warm water from the shower. Cleo turned some to look at me, and I smiled. "Let's try something a little new, ok?"

I turned the valves off for the shower and turned on the ones for the tub, letting the water run a fair bit hotter from the tap than I had from the shower. "You can turn around again, Cleo, if you want to."

Cleo turned around and I knelt down in the tub and leaned up over her rump and back. "Would you like to mate, Cleo?" My one hand reached down and massaged her puffy pussy while my other petted along her slick, wet side. She looked back to me and probably thought about it for a bit before noddding.

I had been firming up since I started soaping her up, so I raised up a bit and guided myself into her. She shuddered a bit as I entered and I gently worked myself deeper and deeper into her. The tub kept filling and the water started moving a bit in time to my thrusts. Cleo just stayed planted where she was, seemingly enjoying the new experience, even though she was hesitant about it at first.

I hadn't timed things exactly how I'd have preferred as partway through our mating I had to pull out to reach forward and turn off the tub water. Cleo looked at me when I did. I figured she knew I wasn't finished and I knew she hadn't finished yet. When she saw what I was doing she seemed to smile a bit and she slitted her eyes when I pushed back into her.

I lifted her tail so I could see our coupling and I smiled as I watched my breeding of this lovely lioness. Her sodden fur was matted down showing just how puffy she really was, and for the first time I could see her tailhole twitching along with her internal contractions. I'd not thought about taking her ass before, but figured that might be fun and might even be something for another bath night.

I continued to rock in and out of her until I could sense we both were getting close. I then pulled out of her and sat down in the tub, having an interesting idea for the finale. Cleo looked back. "Cleo? Sit down. I'll guide you." She nodded and seemed to understand just what I was after as she stepped back a bit before her rump began to descend. I worked my tip between her labia and then she sat down firmly on my crotch. I couldn't help but smile, and I reached around her leg to rub her clit as she was pressed tightly to me. This brought about renewed internal contractions and I stretched my legs out in the tub and spread them to the edges as best I could. "Cleo... now lay down. Trust me, you should like this."

Cleo looked at me for a moment, then turned her head forward and lay down, submerging herself in the water up to her neck between my spread legs. I put my right hand to our coupling and massaged her vulva around my member, my fingertips working the area over her clit. Cleo's head strained forward as she began her final countdown. Her tunnel was fluttering around my cock, rippling and squeezing in an uncoordinated manner as I could feel the tension growing in her hindlegs with my free hand on her hip.

"That's it, Cleo... just let the feelings wash over you like the warmth of the water," I murmured as I continued to masturbate her body against myself. I knew it likely wasn't going to be an earthshattering orgasm, but a tender, unexpected one. I could see her eyes were squeezed tight shut and her jaw was relaxed as her fluttering grew more intense, then, without much warning, she tensed fully and her insides began milking motions along my member.

I couldn't take it for much longer myself and gripped her hips to pull her back, pushing myself as tightly into her as possible, even though I already was as deep as I could really get. I could feel myself expand a bit in her tight tunnel's grip and came hard, deeply inside her. We were both panting and holding our breaths as our bodies were wracked with our orgasmic cataclysms. Our gasps sent ripples through the tub water, hers especially. She was the first to come out of it and lay there panting heavily. I slumped back against the wall of the tub and just lay there panting heavily myself, still fully coupled. She shifted her front some to lay her head against the edge of the tub, lest she submerge that part of herself, too, by accident.

My hands that had been gripping her hips were still in postion just laying atop her pelvic joints and I started idly petting her with my right hand as my mind regained some degree of sanity. "Do you like getting wet now, Cleo?" A tired nod came from the other end. "Did you like mating in this way?" Again a nod. "Would you like to do it again sometime?" Another nod. I would have kissed her had we been face to face, but our post-orgasmic lethargy as well as position prevented it. I just lay back and rested, just like she was doing. The warmth of the water soaking into our bodies, the bliss of our coupling putting a smile on my face, and as much of a smile as it seems she could manage.

Supper could wait, and Peaches could, too. This was just one of those moments too good to pass up or rush through. I sighed happily. I knew I loved Cleo deeply, and I think she must have loved me too, in whatever manner she could.