The grill was bare; burgers and sausages had been devoured, the picnic tables cleared off. Now the little family get-together was breaking up into a bunch of separate conversations, mostly segregated by age group.

One leopard in her teens caught an athletic panther of the same age by the arm. “Hey, Aaron? Can I talk to you for a bit?”

“Sure, Angie.” The panther smiled, white teeth in brilliant contrast to his dark muzzle. “What’s up?”

“Over here,” Angie murmured, nodding toward a quiet corner. Aaron frowned, puzzled, but went along without complaint.

“What’s wrong?” he prompted, quietly, once they were over there. He didn’t need to be told she wanted a little discretion about whatever it was.

“It’s about Mike,” she said, slowly and cautiously.

Aaron froze. One night in the locker room came to mind, not long ago, when the lion had said one boneheaded, misogynistic thing too many about his girlfriend, also known as Aaron’s cousin. “What about him?” he asked, just as carefully, and hoped his tone didn’t sound too offhand. He was trying for what exactly are you getting at, not nothing to discuss there.

She didn’t get angry at him for an attempted brush-off, anyway. “Look, you’ve been… pretty hard on him for a while now. And he told me what happened when… you know.”

Aaron felt the fur on the back of his neck start to rise; he tried to at least appear relaxed, but couldn’t quite make that ruff lie flat. “Yeah? Did he say what he’d…”

“Yes,” Angie cut in. “I didn’t say he blamed you. I didn’t say I blame you. But he’s been nothing but apologetic since, and it’s an apology he’s making good on.”

It was hardly a secret by now that Aaron didn’t like Angie’s boyfriend, but he tried not to grimace. “You’re still with him?” He didn’t need to glance around to know that the lion hadn’t put in an appearance today…

“Yes,” the leopard snapped, seizing Aaron’s shoulder. “And God damn it, he’s earning it. I’d have had him over today except that you make him uncomfortable.”

Aaron shook his head. “For God’s sake, Angie, what do you expect me to do about it?”

“I don’t know. Just… just let up on him a little already!” She heaved a heavy sigh. “God, Aaron, I’m not expecting you to walk up and hug the guy, but could you at least give him a chance? He’s not complaining, but I’m almost starting to think he should. I’ve seen you and the others looking daggers at him.”

“After the shit he pulled?” he growled.

“And you didn’t punish him enough for that?”

Aaron swallowed. The venom in that response was palpable; she knew exactly what he’d done that day, oh yes. And yet…

“You don’t need to like him,” Angie went on, more moderately. “But for God’s sake, if you didn’t want him to get better, what was the point? Can’t you at least let him try to get better?”

Moments slipped by. Laughter and snippets of conversation drifted over them.

At length, Aaron sighed. “I can’t promise a miracle, Angie.”

“You may have caused one already anyway.” She squeezed his arm. “Just try.”

Reluctantly, the panther nodded. “All right.”